Freedom to read

If you are an avid reader with sight difficulties, it can be incredibly frustrating to hear a review about a great new book that is not yet available in large print or audio format. Although we provide thousands of titles in formats accessible for those with low vision, there are many books, magazines and newspapers that are just not available. We have a new solution to this that will open up the library collection to anyone with sight difficulties: the MonoMouse.
The MonoMouse is an electronic magnifier that is light, quick to install, easy to use and very portable. Slightly larger than a standard computer mouse, you simply plug one end into an electrical outlet, the other into the VCR jack on your television, press the button and voila! It will magnify any print onto your TV screen; you simply slide the mouse across the page. You can use this to read books, magazines, newspapers - even your mail! Our device magnifies type 13x, so that it is larger than the standard Large Print format. It's designed to be ergonomic and lightweight, so even if you suffer from arthritis it will be easy to use. The instructions are even in a large print font!
This is a 3-month trial program for us, and we would like to have as many people try out the MonoMouse as possible, so we are limiting the checkout period to one week to enable a faster turnover. We encourage anyone with low vision to come in and try out one of these devices and let us know what you think. The next time you come into the library, instead of heading for the Large Print shelves, you can delve into the New Book section, the Magazine shelves, or anywhere in the library that your interest takes you. Imagine the possibilities....