Visually impaired patrons and those with learning abilities now have access to audio books at Grassy Park and other libraries.
A collaboration between the City of Cape Town and Tape Aids for the Avid Reader is making it possible for those who have impairments or for people with dyslexia to easily access the material.
The partnership started after members of Tape Aids, an NPO dedicated to providing audio library and book production services for people with difficulty reading, didn’t receive their talking books because of a delay in postal services.
The books are available at six libraries including Grassy Park, Central, Rondebosch, Bellville, Bellville South and Strand and the pilot project is aimed at alleviating this problem by making facilities inclusive and accessible for patrons.
Patricia van der Ross, the City’s Mayco member for community services and health, said members of Tape Aids as well as patrons of these libraries, will be able to access their talking books without having to wait for them to arrive via post.
“They will be able to take the CD or log onto the Tape Aids website and download the audio book to their smartphone,” she added.
If a patron is not a member of Tape Aids, but a member of the library, they would be able to take out the audio books. Should you not be a member of a City library, staff will assist patrons in joining Tape Aids or the library.
Tape Aids for Avid Readers’ audio library includes materials in English and most of South Africa’s indigenous languages.
Their volunteer narrators and proof-readers throughout South Africa, have helped them transform more than 40 000 book titles since 1958 when the non-profit organisation, Tape Aids for the Blind, was first established.
Tape Aids’ members can access the website www.tapeaids.com by using screen-reader software that converts text to speech as well as other multi-layered accessibility features, applications and tools like audio prompts for the various functions, assisting visually impaired persons to easily navigate the website.
Tape Aids also offers a Hear-to-Read dual reading method and talking books where audible and visual (or tactile – Braille) inputs occur simultaneously.