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 (CCTV's)  
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.  A CCTV can magnify images up to 70 times their original size, making even the smallest items easy to see.
 

 Topaz by Freedom Scientific - 22 inch screen desktop video magnifier

• Walnut Creek Library--located on the 2nd floor near the library’s magazines, newspapers, and reference books. (Gift from the Walnut Creek Lions Clubs)

• Lafayette Library and Learning Center--located near the adult magazines and newspapers. (Gift from the The Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center)
   
• Ygnacio Valley Library--located just to the right of the entrance, in the Business/Investing corner.

Merlin - 24 inch screen LCD desktop video magnifier

• Antioch, Hercules, Pleasant Hill, and Clayton community libraries. 

Optelec Spectrum - 20 inch monitor that magnifies up to 70x.

• Orinda, and Moraga community libraries. 
   

Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) - induction loop systems are available at the Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Hercules, Lafayette, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek 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, Hercules, and Pleasant Hill community libraries.

Rollators are available at the Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Dougherty Station, Hercules, Lafayette, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek community libraries.

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
• 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.

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 - Activities, presentations, and social interaction for adults who have developmental disabilities. We meet the first Thursday of the month, usually at 11 a.m. If you are interested in attending or have any questions, please contact Chris Gray at 925-837-4889 or cgray@ccclib.org.
   
• 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.
   
• San Ramon Library - Insiders meet the second Friday of every month unless a special program is planned. Programs include crafts, games, scavenger hunts, technology programs, guest speakers, and other surprises.
   
• 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

• WorkAbility I placements countywide (students in Contra Costa County)
• 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)

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, and 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.