Services for People with Disabilities | Los Angeles Public Library

City Services

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities.

Service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, are welcome in all public libraries.

Sign Language interpreters, Assistive Listening Devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability, you are advised to make your request at least 72-hours prior to the meeting you wish to attend. Due to difficulties in securing sign language interpreters, a five (5) or more business day notice is strongly recommended.

To request an accommodation for any of the Library's programs, services, or activities, please inform the Library Branch Manager of your accommodation request. You may also contact the Library Human Resources Office at 213-228-7430.

When any person believes that the City of Los Angeles has violated Title II of the ADA by denying access to its programs, services, and activities based on a disability, a formal grievance may be filed with DOD. Click here for the ADA Title II Grievance Policy and Procedure.

Library Services

Audiobook and Large Type Book Collection

Audiobooks are available from the Central Library and your local branch in all subject areas. Contact your local branch to find out how you can request audiobooks to be delivered to your local branch.

Large Type books are available from the Central Library and branches in all subject areas. The Central Library’s large type collection is located in the Literature and Fiction Department on the third (3rd) floor. Contact your local branch for additional information.

Closed Circuit Television Magnifiers

Television Magnifiers enlarge print materials up to 60 times the actual size. The Television Magnifiers are available at:

Central Library’s Art, Music and Recreation Department on the second (2nd) floor
Central Library’s History and Genealogy Department on Lower Level Four (LL4)
Panorama City Branch Library
West Valley Regional Library
Westchester Branch Library

Digital Collections

The Los Angeles Public Library has a vast collection of accessible digital material available ranging from books, audiobooks, films, language learning, and music. Digital materials are available through the library’s e-Media page.

OverDrive readers can select the dyslexic-friendly font option in the OverDrive app, Libby app, browser-based OverDrive Read, and at the OverDrive website.

Homebound Friends and Neighbors

Homebound library patrons may choose a friend or neighbor to pick-up and return library materials. To apply for a Homebound library card, or if you need additional information about this service, contact your local branch library, call the Circulation Support Office at 213-228-7065, or fill out the online application.

Reference and Information Services

Central Library’s InfoNow librarians are available to answer questions Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Services are available by:

Telephone - Call 213-228-7272.
E-mail - Use InfoNow E-mail Services Form, questions are answered within 48 hours.
Fax - Questions may be faxed to 213-228-7369.
Instant Messaging - Instant Messaging is available for quick reference questions.
Texting - Text your question to 66746. Use the phrase “AskLAPL” before your question. For example, AskLAPL What time do you close tonight? Press send and wait for your answer.

TTY/TDD

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, please use the California Relay Service at 7-1-1 to contact us.

Video Remote Interpreting Services (VRI)

The Library offers VRI services at Central Library and all 72 branch locations. This service provides immediate online sign language interpretation access to staff who are interacting with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. For additional information or to request service, please contact your local branch manager or the Library Human Resources Department at 213-228-7430.

ZoomText

ZoomText is a computer application that enables visually-impaired or blind computer users to see and/or hear everything displayed on the computer screen. ZoomText is available at all branches.

To make a reservation for a computer workstation with ZoomText:

From the home page (www.lapl.org), click on Reserve a Computer (located on the left-side menu).

Log in using your library card and PIN (the last four numbers of your phone).
Select a branch.
Select Internet/WordProcessing/ZoomText 1 hr. from the “PC type” drop-down menu.
Select a day and time.

If you wish to use the ScreenReader feature you will need to bring headphones.

Central Library’s ZoomText computers are located in the Computer Center on Lower Level 3 (LL3). Only in-person reservations are available at the Computer Center Service Desk.

Local, State, and Federal Services

Bookshare - An Accessible Online Library for people with print disabilities

Bookshare is a global literacy non-profit organization which provides free accessible e-books to students of any age who qualify for the program. Non-students may also join the program for a fee. To request more information call 650-352-0198 Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Braille Institute of Los Angeles

The Braille Institute of Los Angeles is the Southern California branch of the Library of Congress National Library Service. It is located at 741 North Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90029. For more information contact the Braille Institute at 1-800-808-2555 or 323-660-3880, Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (PST) or la@brailleinstitue.org

California's Library Services for People with Print Disabilities

California's Library Services for People with Print Disabilities, in association with the Library of Congress, provides free Braille and audio books, magazines and playback equipment to all eligible Californians unable to read standard print.

California Relay Service

Dial 7-1-1 to reach the California Relay Service. The California Relay Service can relay telephone conversations for people with disabilities and their family, friends, business contacts. The service is open to everyone.

Newsline® For The Blind

Newsline® for the Blind is a free newspaper and magazine service offered by the National Federation of the Blind to anyone who cannot read printed newspapers due to vision loss, dyslexia, or a physical disability.

Website Accessibility Statement

The Los Angeles Public Library is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible and readable to as many people as possible, regardless of ability. As part of this commitment, we aim to conform to W3C’s Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and to the U.S. Federal Government Section 508 Guidelines. While the Los Angeles Public Library strives to meet these guidelines, we recognize that increasing our accessibility is a continual work in progress. We strive towards finding solutions and enacting practices, which will bring our entire site up to the same standards, as soon as possible.

If you cannot fully access the information on any page on our site please contact us and let us know. We will then seek to accommodate your accessibility request as soon as possible.

Browsealoud

Browsealoud makes our website more accessible by providing speech, reading and translation support for users with print disabilities, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. Learn more.

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Support Your Library

Why support the Library?

The Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest most diverse population of any library in the United States.

Through its Central Library and 72 branches, the Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city's diverse communities.

With more people than ever before using the library—a record 17 million last year alone—your support helps the Library provide people with the resources they need to succeed and thrive.

How to support the Library

You can support the Los Angeles Public Library in several ways:

Join a “Friends” group. There is a “Friends of the Library” group for most branch libraries and departments of the Central Library. Friends groups raise money for improvements to their library through memberships, used book sales and other activities. For more information click here or talk to your local librarian.

Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The Library Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds for Library enhancement programs such as adult and early literacy, children and teen reading clubs, technology, and cultural programs. Foundation members receive a variety of benefits with their membership. For more information, see http://www.lfla.org.

Make a donation by check to the Los Angeles Public Library and send it to:
Support the Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Los Angeles CA 90071 or call (213) 228-7272.