Hi VIS Fortnight

1-14 June 2020 is Hi VIS Fortnight. In previous years, this event has been known as ‘Make a Noise in Libraries’ (or MANIL) but has been changed from 2020 to provide a clearer and more obvious link to the people that the initiative is trying to reach. 

Hi VIS fortnight is a celebration of accessible library services and alternative formats. It aims to champion and raise awareness of the range of library services and activities that are available to visually impaired people.

There are a wide variety of reading services available to people with visual impairments. 

Large print and audio books: LibrariesWest has huge numbers of books in large print and audio book formats. While these items are not available at present due to library closures, why not browse our catalogue to see what’s in stock. You can always add titles to your wish list, ready for when reservations can be placed again.

eAudio books: more than 5000 titles available to download for free, including adults and childrens, fiction and non-fiction, to satisfy a wide range of interests. Download up to five titles at a time.

Calibre Audio Library: a national charity providing a subscription-free service of unabridged audio books for adults and children who are unable to access standard print. Over 11,000 audio books to choose from.

RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): the RNIB library has over 60,000 items for people to borrow including audio books, braille, giant print (24 pt) and accessible music. The full catalogue of titles can searched online. Further information is available via the RNIB helpline on 0303 123 9999.

Clear Vision: a postal lending library of children’s’ books designed to be shared by visually impaired and sighted children and adults. All their books have braille, print and pictures and there are over 14,000 books in the collection for children from birth until they are independent readers.