| April, 2002 |
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Bibliotheke:
The Ancient to the AT
From the Sumerians and Ancient Egyptians who kept "Houses of Tablets," which contained written documents on disasters and observations on environmental and human behavior, libraries have served as sources of classified and preserved history for all humankind. As modern libraries have evolved, they have served as beacons of their original intentions (houses of knowledge and meeting) as well adopting some very new services. With the invention of computers and particularly the availability of the Internet, libraries are not just places to gather and read about the world afar, they act as visual windows from which to explore every corner of the world. Each library will contain a computer station that accesses JAWS and Open Book as well as a Braille printer and Optelec, a magnifying viewer, to enhance text.
If you are blind or low vision, though, how do you begin to access the possibilities that libraries have to offer? For many who are blind or deaf, accessing the resources at the public library is generally out of the question. However, some of Baltimore County's Public Libraries are taking steps to change that by incorporating assistive technology into their already burgeoning list of resources for the public. All of the new assistive technology is funded by the Weinberg Accessibility Grant of $88,000 and is being administered by the Baltimore County Community Conservation Action Grant.
On Thursday, January 24, the Baltimore County North Point Library unveiled its new Assistive Technology services available in various libraries around Maryland, including Towson, Catonsville, North Point, and Pikesville.
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A large crowd showed up for the unveiling of the new Assistive Technology at the library.
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The AT computer station that runs Jaws and is connected to the Braille printer.
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The Optilec, a view text that is available for use in the library.
Furthermore, as of March, all the libraries involved will have installed a computer system called TICAL, which will allow those who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or who have speech impairments to communicate with the resource librarian via the computer. This system will also allow them to contact librarians from home with information questions. All of the libraries will also make available for rent the entire American Sign Language (ASL) video collection.
Numerous guest speakers were on hand to share their thoughts and ideas on the new assistive technology. From representatives from the Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation, Commission on Disabilities to the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services, all felt that the new library provisions were a step toward encouraging and fostering a better understanding of those with disabilities. For Dutch Ruppersberger, Baltimore County Executive, who also provided some remarks at the ceremony, the new AT is a representation of local community working together to make decisions based on what the community believes is right.
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Dutch Ruppersberger at the Assistive Technology ceremony at the North Point Public Library.
For those who were a little too young to enjoy the speakers and technology demonstrations, the Maryland School for the Deaf and the Friends of the North Point Library hosted a story time presented in American Sign Language and aloud.
As technology and books, the two sources of limitless possibilities for knowledge, are now accessible to everyone in the Baltimore area, the original, ancient purpose of the library in its most functional state is represented- to serve as an ark of human knowledge.
