This year’s featured book is Lily and the Lissadell Ghost by Judi Curtin. The book will be available in embossed Braille and in accessible digital formats from the NCBI Bookshare Ireland platform from March 4th.
Lina Kouzi, NCBI Library Access Service Manager said “World Book Day is another opportunity for us to promote the value of literacy and reading in accessible formats. Not everyone can use or read books in the traditional way but the joy of reading can still be enjoyed through accessing materials in digital, audio, Braille or large print formats. The benefits of reading are well known from boosting vocabulary to living longer so it is vital that people who are blind or vision impaired benefit too.”
The shift to online learning in schools and colleges along with everyone spending more time at home during Covid19 lockdowns has led to an increase of 15% in membership to the NCBI Library, with membership now exceeding 4,600.
Lina Kouzi added “obtaining academic or leisure titles in accessible formats has previously been a barrier to people who are blind or vision impaired but through the advances in technology this is now being minimised and our Bookshare platform is proving very popular. While many of our older members prefer to listen to books and magazines on USB keys or borrow from our Braille collection, it is offering this variety of formats that has ensured people stay up to date with their reading. Our Library Service has proven to be an essential service especially during the Covid19 pandemic as borrowing a book offers the chance to escape from it all by enjoying a work of fiction.”
To join the NCBI library, simply register at library@ncbi.ie.
