The Hennessey Public Library will host the Read Again Open House Wednesday, April 10, for visually impaired patrons to “see” what the library can offer for them.

Senior adults are specifically invited to stop by between 9-11 a.m. while students and young adults should visit between 2-4 p.m., said Library Director Ruth Ann Replogle.

The library purchased an AWE Learning Station early literacy computer, three Playaway educational tablets for children ages 3-7, and JAWS Professional was installed on one of the library’s public desktop computers last year.

Computer Talks

This screen reader was designed to enable patrons who are blind, visually impaired, dyslexic, or have learning disabilities to use a computer independently. The computer “talks” to the user, helping them “see” screen content and navigate the Internet, said Replogle.

The Friends of the Hennessey Library then purchased a large print yellow keyboard to further enable patrons to utilize the computer.

The event is funded by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Edge Technology Grant, through which The Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services-Visual Services Division has made sure the program runs correctly and is up-to-date.

Representatives from both organizations will be present at the Read Again Open House to demonstrate and provide visually impaired patrons with opportunities to sign up for free resources such as talking books and handheld lighted magnifiers.

Sight for Homebound in Ruth Ellen’s Read Again Program

The Read Again Open House also will serve as the official launch of Ruth Ellen’s Read Again Program. This program has been established in memory of the late Ruth Ellen Bailey Davis of Hennessey.

Family and friends have been making memorial donations to the Hennessey Public Library in her name since she passed away Jan. 5.

She was an avid reader who had difficulty with vision impairment in later years.

The program will give “sight” again to those who are homebound or reside at Hennessey Care Center like Ruth Ellen did, said Replogle.

One of the key components of the Ruth Ellen’s Read Again Program is providing Kindle Fire e-readers for checkout to allow visually impaired patrons to select audiobooks of their choice from the library’s OverDrive app. More large print fiction books will also be added to the library in her honor.