Laptop for Visual and Hearing impaired

Thanks to a generous grant from the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), SHELF has been able to purchase equipment and technology to create a total of three accessible computers for vision and hearing-impaired patrons of the Sherwood Public Library. This computer equipment includes a professional-grade laptop equipped with specialized accessories and software for vision and hearing-impaired patrons. The NNLM funding also allowed us to purchase adaptive technology for 2 existing desktop computers, including adaptive mice, large print-high contrast keyboards, one Nero Braille keyboard, and specialized software. This equipment will address a critical gap in the current technology offerings at the Sherwood Library, providing essential access to health information and educational resources for hearing and vision-impaired patrons. The equipment will be available for use starting in January 2026. We are so grateful for the the support of the NNLM which will ensure that all patrons can independently navigate digital resources available at the Sherwood Library.

This grant was provided by National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM013725 with University of Washington. This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.