Accessibility: Assistive Technologies & Programs

All Contra Costa County Library locations have the following:

• Large Screen Monitors
• Large Print Keyboard
• Trackball Mouse
• 20/20 Pen
• Signature Guide
• 3x Handheld Magnifier
• Headphones/Covers
  
• ZoomText 
• NVDA Text-to-Speech
• T-Bar (Color Preferences and Screen Masking Ruler)

For Tipsheets - See box below

Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTVs)  
Uses a camera and a screen or monitor to magnify images and text. A CCTV will magnify small print that you find on newspapers, pill bottles, food items, and will also magnify photos, three-dimensional objects, and more. CCTVs can magnify images up to 70 times their original size, making even the smallest items easy to see.
 

CCTV's are located at the following libraries: Clayton, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Ygnacio Valley.

Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) - induction loop systems are available at the Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Dougherty Station, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda (coming soon), Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek, Ygnacio Valley (coming soon) libraries. These devices may be used with the t-coil in your hearing aid or we have receivers that may be used with a headset.

Kurzweil software is available at the Antioch, Dougherty Station, El Cerrito, Hercules, Kensington, Pittsburg (coming soon), and Pleasant Hill, and San Pablo libraries.

Rollators (Rolling walkers) are available at the Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Dougherty Station, Hercules, Lafayette, Moraga, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Pablo, San Ramon, Ygnacio Valley and Walnut Creek community libraries.

Insiders Programs
Contra Costa County's first Insiders Program began at Antioch Library in 2007. The Insiders Program was developed to encourage adults with developmental disabilities to feel comfortable navigating through the library, using available resources, and communicating with staff members. As a result of the success and necessity of the program, the Insiders Program has spread to other Contra Costa County library locations. 

• Antioch Library - The Library provides programs twice a month for the Wednesday Club. Scheduled with ARC Inroads - a community-based program for adults with developmental disabilities.
   
• Concord Library - Second Wednesday of each month is All Ears Reading - Insiders: In partnership with ARF, adults are able to practice their reading skills by reading to dogs. Fourth Wednesday of each month is the Wednesday Club - Insiders: Our new club plans on a variety of activities and guest speakers.
   
• Danville Library - Meets most second & fourth Thursdays of the month at 10:30 am. Arts and crafts activities, special presentations, and social interaction. Space & resources are limited - if you are interested in attending or have any questions, please contact Chris Gray at cgray@ccclib.org.
   

• Dougherty Station Library - Meets on the second Friday of each month from 1pm to 2pm. Programs include crafts, games, technology programs, guest speakers and other activities. If you are interested in attending these programs please call Dougherty Station Library at 925-973-3380.

• Hercules Library - Meets once a month on Thursdays. This group is just forming with many upcoming programs planned. Scheduled with Pathway to Choices, RESSuccess, The Transition Program at WCCUSD, Cole Vocational Services, Guardian Adult Day Health Center, and The George Miller Center.
   
• Lafayette Library and Learning Center - Meets the second Monday of every month unless a special program is planned. Programs include crafts, games, scavenger hunts, technology programs, and movie days.
   
• Walnut Creek Library - Meets the second Monday of every month unless a special program is planned. Programs include crafts, games, scavenger hunts, technology programs, and movie days.

More Programs

• ALIVE volunteers at the Antioch Library; Futures Explored
• Volunteers at the Lafayette Library (adults with disabilities)
• Book clubs held at local senior centers (contact San Ramon Library and Brentwood Library)

Early Literacy Stations are located at the following community libraries:

• Antioch -  2 stations (includes bilingual Spanish edition)
• Clayton - 1 station
• Concord - 1 station
• Danville -  2 stations
• Dougherty Station - 1 station
• El Sobrante - 1 station
• Hercules - 1 station
• Lafayette - 1 station
• Moraga -  2 stations
• Pinole - 1 station
• Pittsburg - 1 station (includes bilingual Spanish edition)
• Pleasant Hill - 1 station
• Prewett -  1 station (includes bilingual Spanish edition)
• San Pablo - 1 station
• San Ramon - 1 station
• Walnut Creek - 1 station   
• Ygnacio Valley - 1 station

Each station has educational programs installed that help students 2-10 years old; preschool, kindergarten, and elementary levels to work on targeted skills such as reading, writing, math, or keyboarding. The stations come with a colorful keyboard and child-sized mouse and are not connected to the Internet.

Project Second Chance: The Library's Adult Literacy Program, Serving Adults with Reading Disabilities

                                                                                Dog Reading Programs

• ARF's All Ears Reading® at Walnut Creek, Ygnacio Valley, Dougherty Station, Lafayette, and Moraga
• ARF's All Ears Reading-Insiders at Concord 
• Paws to Read at Clayton, Danville, and Orinda 
• Read to a Dog at Oakley
• Waggin Tales at San Pablo

Contra Costa County Library considers the needs of users with disabilities in the planning and layout of public programming and meeting spaces and facilities. The Library makes every effort to provide accommodations as requested by individuals with special needs with 72 hours notice.

To request an accommodation for any of the Library’s programs, services, or activities, please inform the community library manager of your accommodation request.

The Antioch, Hercules, Lafayette, San Pablo, San Ramon, and community libraries are using pictograms to help library users, including those with learning differences, those for whom English is not their native language, and those who are adult learners, navigate the Dewey Decimal System.

The pictograms are excellent examples of universal access. Read more about pictograms here.