John C. Hart Memorial Library Has A New Reading Device For The Visually Impaired

YORKTOWN, NY — A Hudson Valley library is now a lot more accessible for everyone who wants to enjoy a good book, thanks to the Lions.

The John C. Hart Memorial Library announced that it has purchased new technology for the visually impaired thanks to a donation of $1,900 from the Yorktown chapter of Lions Club International.

With the donation, the library will be able to replace outdated and oversized magnification equipment with the Optalec Compact 10 HD Speech. This portable digital screen magnifier allows those with low vision to adjust magnification and contrast to their preferred levels. The tablet-sized device also reads speech aloud to the user with adjustable volume and speed, and connects to headsets via Bluetooth.

Library staff are available to teach patrons how to use the new device, which can be reserved for in-library use in one of the study rooms.

"We are deeply grateful to the Yorktown Lions Club for their generous grant, which allows us to replace our outdated equipment with a new handheld, portable reading device," said Yvonne Cech, the John C. Hart Memorial Library director. "This transformative technology will make it easier for community members with visual impairments to access materials independently, and it reflects the Yorktown Lions Club’s long-standing commitment to improving lives through vision support."