The monthly HYDAC meeting was held on April 25th, 2023, and our crew had the pleasure of hosting June Cockwell, the Executive Director of HIPPY Halton, as our special guest. Ms. June started her talk by emphasizing the importance of literacy as a fundamental skill that is necessary for success in life. She explained that literacy is not just about reading and writing but also about communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Our crew agreed with her and appreciated her natural way of communicating.
Ms. June also spoke about innovative ideas to promote reading in our technological world. Our crew highlighted some electronic alternatives available to the community such as Daisy Reader, Libby, Voice to text, accessibility settings on any device, podcasts/audio books, and YouTube Audiobooks. These tools can help in improving accessibility for everyone and bring about more independence and a better quality of life.
Our crew also shone the light on these amazing electronic alternatives available to community.
Daisy Reader
DAISY (the Digital Accessible Information System) is the emerging world standard for digital talking books for people who are blind or have a print disability. This format has been under development for over ten years, with most of the world's talking book libraries now employing some form of the standard.
Libby
Libby, a subsidiary of OverDrive, is compatible with Kindle eReaders and Kobo eReaders. It is important to note that Libby is only compatible with Kindle eReaders.
-Voice to text
This common accessibility feature include text-to-speech, closed-captioning, and keyboard shortcuts. More specific technologies that need additional hardware may be referred to as assistive technology. There are many disabilities or impairments that can be a barrier to effective computer use.
Accessibility settings on any device
Did you know? The Accessibility Menu is a large on-screen menu to control your Android device. You can control gestures, hardware buttons, navigation, and more.
Podcasts/audio books
Podcast shows release on a regular schedule and allow subscribers to get new episodes right away. An audiobook is a professional audio recording of an existing text, usually a book.
YouTube Audiobooks
YouTube offers Audiobooks and it’s free. Listen to full length audiobooks online for free on the Free Audiobooks Channel.
Improving accessibility for everyone brings about more independence and a better quality of life. So let’s keep moving forward!
Our crew learned how reading, writing, and comprehension can connect and inspire us. We are grateful to Ms. June for sharing her insights and experiences with us, and we look forward to supporting organizations like HIPPY Halton in their mission to promote literacy and education in the community.
The meeting was adjou