Information Accessibility Centre Services
Introduction:
The Information Accessibility Centre aims to provide library services to meet the needs of visually impaired users for knowledge, information, lifelong learning support, continuous education and profitable use of leisure time. Our studio produces talking books and periodicals. Our staff members recruit and train volunteers to provide recording services.
Services Provided
I. Library Services for the Visually Impaired:
1. We provide a collection of Braille and talking books/periodicals for loan to our visually impaired users. Our collection includes textbooks, reference books and materials for leisure reading; and they are on different subjects, such as rehabilitation, education, social science, language, literature, humanities, science, technology and recreation, etc.;
2. We provide a collection of music CDs, DVDs, VCDs and video tapes for loan to our service users;
3. We provide different kinds of adaptive technical aids and software, to facilitate our visually impaired users to enjoy easy access to information and the library materials. We also provide hotline technical support service to help them solve any problem arising from the use of adaptive technology to access information;
4. We arrange local and overseas inter-library loan services for our service users.
II. Tele-digital Library Services and Netshare for the Visually Impaired:
Our tele-digital library provides 24-hour access to the voice-based library catalogue, talking books, periodicals, online news, updated supermarket sales items information, leisure and cultural activities as well as other information. Our visually impaired users can access the aforesaid information either through our hotline or our website.
Netshare for the Visually Impaired (available in Chinese only) is a website that provides online news, prices on sales items at supermarkets, practical tips on using information and communication technology, access to various magazines and other information.
III. Audio Description Services for the Visually Impaired:
Audio Description is the art of making visual images accessible to those who are blind or have low vision, by using precise language to describe the visual images which are not accessible to the visually impaired. We facilitate our service users to have an equal opportunity to participate in ordinary cultural and leisure activities by providing audio description in screenings, dramas, performing arts, exhibitions, visits, outings, etc.
IV. Leisure and Cultural Activities:
In order to enhance our visually impaired service users’ abilities to appreciate arts and cultural activities, and to widen their exposure, we arrangedtalks on different interests and facilitate them to attend different kinds of art performance.
V. Staff Library Services:
The library provides staff members of the agency with various types of professional reading materials on rehabilitation services, education, employment, management and other subjects of general interests.
Application for Membership:
All Hong Kong citizens certified visually impaired by registered ophthalmologists can apply for membership. An applicant is required to complete and submit an application form with valid documentation certifying visual impairment.
Withdrawal of Membership:
For withdrawal of services, members must notify the centre personally. Withdrawn members may re-apply for membership.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:45 a.m. - 5:35 p.m.
Saturday : 8:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sunday & Public Holiday: Closed.