Computer users with low vision may face difficulty reading text and viewing images efficiently on a standard computer monitor. A larger, hi res monitor can provide a larger image and text, enabling the visually impaired to use library resources more effectively. Larger screens also allow for in-built magnification software to scale up the size of […]
Westmeath Libraries are delighted to say that we have added some assistive technology for people experiencing varying levels of sight loss using portable hand magnifiers to our libraries. The Looky is a video magnifier with which you can examine enlarged pictures and text. The zoom is adjustable and can be used for both reading and writing. […]
The Battle of Wits is a Table Quiz for Transition Year students in Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, and Laois. Please contact dearbhla.sheridan@westmeathcoco.ie for more details, or if you are a TY teacher in a Westmeath school and would like to participate. Teachers from other counties should contact their local library for more information. The Battle of […]
The Allstars book club in Mullingar Library read Nina Carberry's Pony Camp Chaos in September 2024 Duncan rated the book 5 stars (out of 5). He said: I loved this book so much. It was very funny and exciting and I didn't know what would happen next. I liked it even more than Nina Carberry's first […]
Westmeath Libraries are a welcoming space for all, as such lower more accessible shelving units will enable wheelchair users greater access to our book stock . Traditional library shelves are barriers for wheelchair users, those with mobility issues and people who are vertically challenged. These lower shelving units will provide opportunities for inclusion in the […]
For Heritage Week 2024 Moate Library hosted an exhibition on local business Snowcream and its history in Moate, compiled by Kathleen Cleary. The Beginning In the mid-1950s, Micheál Malone local farmer and his friend Pat Clavin from Streamstown recognised that the day of untreated milk being sold directly to consumers was coming to an end […]
To help children to navigate starting school, libraries have put together a bag with a book just for them that can be collected at any Westmeath library from May 2025 The ‘My Little Library Book Bag’ initiative is a collaboration between libraries, the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the Department of Children, Equality, […]
Athlone Book Club read Alice Winn's In Memoriam in September 2024. They said 5 Stars A stunning debut novel; heartbreaking, brilliant and thoroughly researched. It provoked a lively discussion for the book club. In 1914, war feels far away to Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood. They're too young to enlist, and anyway, Gaunt is fighting […]
The PS5 Access controller was designed in collaboration with the accessibility community to assist players with diverse needs. With large circular buttons and a joystick, it is designed to significantly improve gaming experiences for individuals with disabilities. Accessible video games can contribute to overall quality of life and interpersonal relationships, making the gaming experience in […]
Every child who signs up to our Summer Stars 2024, reads and returns a book gets the chance to win in our prize draws. These are happening in all our libraries, every single week over the summer. Call in today and join our collection of winners.