New Opportunities for Reading Disabled and Dyslexic Pennsylvanians | Compendium

We are excited to announce the Pennsylvania Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are now easing certification barriers for Pennsylvanians with dyslexia and other reading disabilities.

Both Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-LBPH and Free Library of Philadelphia-LBPH have been invited by the Library of Congress’ National Library Service to take part in a yearlong pilot program which allows Pennsylvania patrons with reading disabilities, such as dyslexia, to be certified into the National Library Service program by teachers and librarians. Formerly, Pennsylvanians with dyslexia needed their doctor’s signature to certify their disability, but now competent professionals can certify!

This is great news because, certified patrons with reading disabilities will be able to access downloadable audio books through the National Library Service BARD app to any smart device.  BARD (standing for Braille and Audio Reading Download) gives qualified patrons access to tens of thousands of free audio titles from new best sellers to timeless classics.

Librarians, we need your help to get the word out to help sign up patrons, across all demographics, who have print disabilities!

Click here for an application or for more information please call or email:

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
4724 Baum Blvd
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
1-800-242-0856
Fax:    412-687-2442
Email: lbph@carnegielibrary.org
or
Free Library of Philadelphia
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Free Library of Philadelphia
1500 Spring Garden Street
Suite 230
Philadelphia, PA 19130
1-800-222-1754
Fax: 215-683-3211
Email: flpblind@freelibrary.org


Submitted by:
Mark Lee
Library Services Administrator
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-LBPH

The mobile app is funded by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library Of Congress.
Pennsylvania Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are funded by a grant administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.