WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – January is National Braille Literacy Month and the James V. Brown Library, 19 East Fourth Street, has resources for the visually impaired and to help teach inclusivity to all ages.

National Braille Literacy Month highlights Louis Braille and how essential Braille is for those who are visually impaired.

Here are some ways in which you can support Braille Literacy Month at the James V. Brown Library:

• Explore the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP). LAMP makes materials available for PA residents with disabilities. You can access this at the library’s website, jvbrown.edu, and then click “Online Resources” and then “Resources for Adults” and then click the “LAMP” icon.
• Donating or suggesting a Braille book to be ordered at the library. By helping to expand the collection, the Library can reach more lives within the community. Just fill out the Recommend for Purchase form, under “Using the Library,” and then select “Borrowing” or click the link here: https://lclspa.org/recommend/. Please know that filling out the form does not guarantee acquisition; however, the library appreciates recommendations for all ages.
• Visit the library and check out a Braille book. The library has children’s books in Braille, including “Up, Down and Around,” “Guess How Much I Love You,” “All About Braille: Reading by Touch,” and “On the Move: Knowledge You Can Touch,” among others.
• Check out the free resources available on the first-floor of the Vintage Wing, featuring audiobooks, audio-described DVDs, large-print books and more.

Literacy is for all despite our abilities and differences. Providing blind and visually impaired individuals with equal access to reading materials allows them to participate fully in society by accessing information, education, and entertainment that sighted people take for granted, promoting literacy and independence among this population.

The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. To place a hold, visit www.jvbrown.edu or call 570-326-0536 during the library’s operating hours. Walk-in passport services are available from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The James V. Brown Library, 19 E. Fourth St., Williamsport, Pa., is the place to go to learn, connect and grow. Founded in June 1907, the library champions the love of reading, opens new doors to lifelong learning, provides a haven to those who seek and ensures the preservation of public library services for future generations. The library has more than 225,000 visitors in a year and circulates a half-million items annually. A member of the Lycoming County Library System, the James V. Brown Library participates in PA Forward, a statewide initiative to promote literacies in our communities to power a better future for everyone.