[Libs-Or] Library services for dyslexic patrons

[Katie Anderson]

Hi! Earlier this week an Oregon librarian asked about library services for people with dyslexia, with a specific question about the availability of books published in dyslexic font. I thought many of you would be interested to know what we found.


*         The Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library offers audio books for any Oregonian who cannot read or understand standard printed material as a result of a learning disability or brain injury.  If your patron is interested, have them fill out the attached application and have it signed only by their medical doctor.  Once signed just mail it to Talking Book (address is on the form) and we will begin their library service immediately. Service includes a free listening device that is checked-out to the patron indefinitely or they can download audio books to their own device.



*         The OverDrive app now features a dyslexic font option. My understanding based on this article<http://blogs.overdrive.com/front-page-library-news/2015/04/07/the-overdrive-app-now-features-a-dyslexic-font-option/> is that if customers download the OverDrive app and use it to read OverDrive eBooks, then they can change the font of all the eBooks into 'OpenDyslexic' or 'OpenDyslexic Bold'. Here is what one Oregon librarian says about this, "I had a few minutes to work with Overdrive and did have a chance to download a book and then set the font to "Open Dyslexic" and "Open Dyslexic Bold."  It was really easy to do.  You do need to set the font/type once a book is downloaded.  You can also set to Dyslexic font/type for Library2Go home page.  Very cool!"



*         Dyslexie Font<https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/available-in-dyslexie/books-and-e-books/> seems to be one of two leaders in dyslexic fonts and publishing books in dyslexic font.



*         The other leader seems to be OpenDyslexic<http://opendyslexic.org/category/products/books/>. Both Dyslexie Font and OpenDyslexic websites include children's books published in the fonts.



*         Amazon.com has a series of Dyslexic-Friendly Edition<http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ADyslexic-Friendly+Edition&keywords=Dyslexic-Friendly+Edition&ie=UTF8&qid=1437579917> classics like The Scarlet Letter, Little Women, etc. It looks like they have just begun to doing DyslexiAssist Enabled<http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=DyslexiAssist+> eBooks; I only found three titles and they were all published this year.



*         My favorite resource for helping kids with learning disabilities learn to read, including dyslexia, is LDonline<http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/reading>. I subscribe to the newsletter which usually includes articles with several practical tips and advice, and more scholarly/informational articles too. While it's specific to children with disabilities, I'd recommend this to anyone struggling to help their child learn to read.


If you have any more information or resources on this topic that may be helpful to other libraries, please 'reply all' to share them with the group.

Thanks,
Katie

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Summer Reading 2015 at Oregon libraries<http://libdir.osl.state.or.us/>!
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Katie Anderson, Youth Services Consultant
Library Support and Development Services<http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/pages/index.aspx>
Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
katie.anderson at state.or.us<mailto:katie.anderson at state.or.us>, 503-378-2528

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