Library roundup

The Goshen Public Library & Historical Society serves all residents of the Goshen Central School District. That includes residents who are homebound. The library offers Home Delivery Service for our patrons who cannot visit on a short- or long-term basis due to disability, illness or loss of mobility.

Book delivery for homebound patrons

The library offers two types of service for homebound patrons: Recommended Reads and Holds Only. For Recommended Reads, our professional staff select books and other materials based on your interests. A Holds Only patron, on the other hand, places their own requests through the library catalog. One of our dedicated volunteers will deliver and pick up materials on a roughly monthly schedule.

If you are eligible for Home Delivery Service and would like to sign up, please contact the library at (845)294-6606 or gosref@rcls.org and we will be sure to get an application out to you. Or find it on the Accessibility Services section of our website at goshenpubliclibrary.org/services/accessibility-services.

Tools available to make reading accessible for all

Another accessibility service that not everyone is aware of is the New York State Talking Book & Braille Library (TBBL). TBBL is a Network Library that provides access to materials from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) a division of the Library of Congress. Materials include braille books and magazines and digital talking books and magazines. Patrons can request hard copies of braille books, a player to access talking books on cartridge, or use Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) for digital access.

While it might seem like only those with visual disabilities are eligible for TBBL service, that is not the case! Reading disabilities and physical limitations that prevent you from holding a book or turning its pages also qualify. To sign up for services through TBBL an application must be filled out and signed by a professional familiar with your disability. Ask at the Reference Desk if you need help accessing the TBBL application or want a demonstration of a Talking Book Player, we’ll be happy to connect you to the services you need.

We also have an Optelec ClearView Speech reading machine in our adult services section to make reading traditional print materials easier. It can magnify pages, increase the contrast, and even convert text to speech. If you have difficulty reading normal books, this machine is available to make reading easier at any time the library is open.