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MONDAY

All locations are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

TUESDAY

All locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

All locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

THURSDAY

All locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

FRIDAY

All locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

All locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

Central Library is open today from 1-5 p.m. All community libraries are closed.

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We are committed to providing an accessible environment for all our customers. For information regarding accessibility standards and services, please refer to the following documents:

Borrowing

People with disabilities may apply for Accessibility Status for extended borrowing periods for most library materials.

People who are unable to read print due to a visual, physical, or learning disability are eligible to request Talking Books Status.

Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA)

CELA is a national non-profit organization established by Canadian public libraries to serve customers who have a visual, learning or physical disability that prevents them from reading conventional print. Our partnership with CELA allows our customers access to:

  • formats including audio, Braille, e-text and described video
  • a growing collection of more than 230,000 items including books, magazines, newspapers and described videos

For more information on CELA services, see celalibrary.ca

To find out if you are eligible, and to register as a CELA user, please contact:

Accessibility Services
519-743-0271 ext. 260
accessibility@kpl.org

Services

Customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech restricted can contact us using TTY at 1-877-614-4832.

  • Large print magazines and newspapers
  • A dictionary and world atlas in large print.
  • Descriptive videos and DVDs
  • DAISY audiobook format
  • DAISY Readers
  • Alternate formats for print materials will be provided, where possible, upon request.

Equipment

Accessible equipment available at Kitchener Public Library.

An accessible computer is available at each of our library locations.

Features include:

  • 24-inch widescreen monitor
  • Optima trackball mouse for users with limited arm or wrist mobility
  • JAWS screen reading software
  • ZoomText Magnifier
  • Dragon Dictate text-to-speech software
  • User manuals in large print and Braille (available upon request)

The C-Pen Reader pen scanner is a portable pocket-sized text-to-speech device that reads text aloud with an English, Spanish or French human-like digital voice. The C-Pen reader can be helpful for people with reading difficulties such as dyslexia, for people with some sight loss, and for language learners as well.

Borrow a C-Pen Reader

Helps customers with low vision to read, view pictures or see what they are writing. Magnify, highlight, change the contrast of the document, etc. For everything from reading to looking at photos to writing out and signing your cheques.

Provides personal hearing assistance when background noise or distance from the sound source makes listening difficult. Ideal for small groups, presentations or one-on-one personal assistance. To request an FM System, contact the library where the meeting or program is taking place at least three days in advance of the event.

Useful at home or on the go, the Explore 5 is a compact electronic magnifier with a 5-inch screen. The image is customizable and you can magnify text up to 22 times. Use it hands-free while reading a book, or adjust is straight out to hold over any object/text you want to magnify.

Borrow a handheld magnifier

Hearing loop systems are installed at the Central Library’s Welcome Desk and Level 2 Information Desk. When library staff speak directly into the system microphone, hard of hearing customers with hearing aids or cochlear implants with a telecoil (T-coil) switch will hear the communication directly in their hearing aid or cochlear implant, which reduces background noise. 

Light therapy lamps have proven successful helping those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Our #Lightbrary initiative provides seasonal access to light therapy lamps in the library, from fall through spring.

Learn more about light therapy lamps

DAISY Readers

DAISY Readers have the ability to play content in the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) Format. This format provides greater playback capabilities than a traditional audiobook on CD would. These include: placing bookmarks, changing the tone and speed of speech, and enhanced navigation capabilities. The Readers are designed with unique tactile buttons so that operation of the device can be done with limited or no vision. 

The DAISY Readers may also be loaded with personalized content by filling out a Content Selection Form in the section below.

The DAISY Readers are also preloaded with 50 books from a variety of genres and subject matter. Parents/guardians or an assigned caregiver should monitor the selection of content for younger children as some books may have mature subject matter. A list of preloaded content is provided below.

DAISY Readers can be borrowed for six weeks by anyone with Talking Book, Accessibility, or Visiting Library status. One renewal for an additional six weeks is available provided there are no holds. Information on Talking Book Status and Accessibility Status is provided in the sections below.

There are two types of DAISY Readers. The Victor Reader Stratus and the Victor Reader Stream.

Contact accessibility@kpl.org for more information.

The Victor Reader Stratus is a larger tabletop or lap-sized DAISY Reader that can play DAISY CDs and MP3 Audiobooks on CD (minus the enhanced navigation capabilities). It can also play content loaded digitally.

Quick Start Guide

Borrow a Victor Reader Stratus

The Victor Reader Stream is a pocket-sized DAISY Reader that can play content loaded digitally. 

Quick Start Guide

Borrow a Victor Reader Stream

The Victor Reader Stratus and the Victor Reader Stream are both preloaded with a wide variety of content that is refreshed regularly. The list of the current preloaded content is provided below.

Adult Fiction

Fall of Ruin and Wrath By: Jennifer L. Armentrout (Fantasy)

Fourth Wing By: Rebecca Yarros (Fantasy)

Savi and the Memory Keeper By: Bijal Vachharajani (Fantasy)

The Breakaway By: Jennifer Weiner (Fiction)

Do You Remember Being Born? By: Sean Michaels (Fiction)

Enchanted to Meet You By: Meg Cabot (Fiction)

The Fraud By: Zadie Smith (Fiction)

The Invisible Hour By: Alice Hoffman (Fiction)

Kukum By: Michel Jean (Fiction)

Learned By Heart By: Emma Donoghue (Fiction)

The River We Remember By: Willian Kent Krueger (Fiction)

The Whispers By: Ashley Audrain (Fiction)

The Royal Windsor Secret By: Christine Wells (Historical Fiction)

Girl in the Eagle's Talons By: Karin Smirnoff (Mystery)

Happiness Falls By: Angie Kim (Mystery)

Mother-Daughter Murder Night By: Nina Simon (Mystery)

Fair Rosaline By: Natasha Solomon (Romance)

The Seven Year Slip By: Ashley Poston (Romance)

Unfortunately Yours By: Tessa Bailey (Romance)

Everyone Here is Lying By: Shari Lapena (Suspense)

Hemlock Island By: Kelley Armstrong (Suspense)

None of This is True By: Lisa Jewell (Suspense)

Whalefall By: Daniel Kraus (Suspense)

Adult Non-Fiction

Barbie and Ruth By: Robin Gerber (Biography)

Counting the Cost By: Jill Duggar (Biography)

The Country of the Blind By: Andrew Leland (Biography)

Doppelganger By: Naomi Klein (Biography)

Fire Weather By: John Vaillant (Environment)

Desire By: Lauren Fogel Mersy (Family and Relationships)

Truth Telling By: Michelle Good (History)

The Wager By: David Grann (History)

What We Talk About When We Talk About Dumplings By: John Lorinc (History)

Sure, I'll Join Your Cult By: Maria Bamford (Humour)

Making Love with the Land By: Joshua Whitehead (Memoir)

Financial Feminist By: Tori Dunlap (Personal Finance)

Body Neutral By: Jessi Kneeland (Self-Help)

Falling Back in Love with Being Human By: Kai Cheng Thom (Self-Help)

Heads Up: Changing Minds on Mental Health By: Melanie Siebert (Self-Help)

Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer By: John Gibbons (Sports)

Someone You Know By: Catherine Fogarty (True Crime)

Teen

Abeni's Song By: P. Djeli Clark (Fantasy)

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh By: Rachael Lippincott (Fiction)

House of Ash and Bone By: Joel A. Sutherland (Horror)

Heads Up: Changing Minds on Mental Health By: Melanie Siebert (Self-Help)

Children

The Lost Library By: Rebecca Stead (Fantasy)

Barely Floating By: Lilliam Rivera (Fiction)

Gnome is Where Your Heart Is By: Casey Lyall (Fiction)

Mama's Sleeping Scarf By: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Fiction)

Rewind By: Lisa Graff (Fiction)

The Skull By: Jon Klassen (Fiction)

If you would like to have personalized content loaded onto the DAISY Readers please fill out our Content Request Form which is available in both digital and printable formats. Only one of the forms needs to be filled out to have personalized content loaded.

The Digital Content Request Form can be filled out on your computer or mobile device.

The Printable Content Request Form can be printed off, filled out, and returned to the Library.

Q: How do I browse the preloaded or custom content on the Readers?

A: While the device is powered on press the one (1) key on the number pad to enter the bookshelf and keep pressing it until you hear "bookshelf, other books". Press two (2) until you hear "level one" and use the four (4) and six (6) keys to move left and right through the categories. The categories are titled, Adult fiction, Adult non-fiction, Teen, Children and Custom (if you requested custom content). When you hear the category you would like to browse press the eight (8) key until you hear "level two". You can now use the four (4) and six (6) keys to browse left and right through all of the titles in that category.

Press the Play button to select the book you would like to listen to.

If you would like to browse the other categories again press the cancel (*) key and start the process over again by pressing the one (1) key to enter the bookshelf and repeating the aforementioned steps.

Note: If you are using a Victor Reader Stream and no matter how many times you press the one (1) key you don't hear "other books" press the WiFi key (the middle button on the top row). Now when you hit the one (1) key you should hear "bookshelf, other books". You may still have to hit the one (1) key a couple of times to hear it.

Q: Are there any specific requirements to borrow a DAISY Reader?

A: DAISY Readers can be borrowed by patrons with Accessibility Status or Talking Book Status. See the sections below for more information on Accessibility and Talking Book Status.

Q: How long can I borrow a DAISY Reader?

A: You can borrow a DAISY Reader for six weeks. If there are no holds on the Reader you can renew it for six additional weeks.

Q: Do the DAISY Readers circulate with headphones?

A: The DAISY Readers do not circulate with headphones. Both Readers have headphone ports that will accept headphones with a 3.5mm jack. There is also a high-quality speaker built into both Readers for listening without headphones.

Q: How do I stop the DAISY Reader Stratus from ejecting the disc after a few seconds?

A: If the disc is put in upside down, the Stratus will eject the disc after a few seconds. Flip the disc over and re-enter it into the CD-ROM slot.

Q: When I plug headphones into my DAISY Reader Stream there is no audio. Why is this?

A: There is a microphone jack on the right side of the Stream that most headphones will fit into but it will not output audio. Make sure that you plug the headphones into the headphone jack on the top of the Stream.

Q: I have lost myself in the menus. How do I reorient myself?

A: Press the star (*) key a few times and that will take you back to the main menu of the Reader.

Contact us

For more information about accessibility services, please contact:

Accessibility Services
519-743-0271 ext. 260
accessibility@kpl.org