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Accessibility

Accessibility at the Library

Barrie Public Library is committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and by meeting the accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the City of Barrie’s Accessibility Plan.

Check out the sections below by clicking on these links: 

Accessible Building Features 
Accessible Formats
Information Access
Website Features
Accessible Equipment
CELA Services

Accessible Building Features

  • The Downtown Library has a button-operated passenger elevator. Painswick and Holly Library are one level
  • Book drops are accessible height
  • Distance between most book shelves in both branches accommodates minimum aisle widths per accessibility standards
  • Service desks are height adjustable to accommodate all patrons
  • All locations are accessible. Downtown and Painswick locations have automatic sliding doors
  • All locations have accessible washrooms
  • Self-check stations are height adjustable
  • Use of personal assistive devices, registered service/support animals and support persons are welcome

Accessible Formats

Many of the resources available at Barrie Public Library are suited to accessibility needs:

  • Audiobooks on CD
  • Downloadable eAudiobooks and eBooks. Text size can be adjusted with the majority of our downloadable eBooks
  • DAISY books are available for patrons who self-declare and register with Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), or have a current CNIB card. Library staff can help patrons register in person or by telephone. Note a compatible DAISY reader is required to enjoy these audiobooks
  • Large print books
  • Adult basic literacy books
  • Subtitle and descriptive captioning is and option on may DVDs and Blu-rays
  • Many of our databases provide text to speech capability such as EBSCO, Gale, PebbleGo, and TumbleBooks.

Material can be requested for pick up at any location or delivered using our Visiting Library Service.

Information Access

  • Account information is available in person, over the telephone and online through your myBPL account.
  • Notification about holds pick up, overdue items and due date reminders are available via telephone, email or text notification
  • Our Visiting Library Service is available for patrons who cannot visit the library
  • ASL interpretation may be available programs with advance notice

Website Features

  • Patrons are free to choose large font or zoom in and out to view the site in a size comfortable to their viewing
  • Text equivalents are used for images to facilitate those using screen readers
  • Style sheets are used to separate the document structure from presentation
  • Device-independent interaction with the website is allowed: use a mouse, keyboard, or touch screen device
  • Moving content can be stopped by users

Accessible Equipment

  • Public computers have assistive technology and large screens to view and listen to on-screen content
    Our public PCs come equipped with:
    • the Morphic Accessibility Toolbar
    • Helperbird Accessibility and Dyslexia software for web pages
    • OpenDyslexia fonts for word processing and other Windows applications
    • NVDA screen reader
    • Large print keyboard and mouse alternatives are available on request
  • Document magnifiers to enlarge print and/or change the colour contrasts
  • Hand-held magnifiers to use while visiting the library to help browse our collection
  • A walker or wheelchair to use while visiting the library

CELA Services

As a member of the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), the Barrie Public Library offers access to over 300,000 items to anyone who has a visual, physical, or learning disability that prevents them from reading conventional print. Individuals registered with CELA may also access Bookshare, a selection of popular e-synthesized titles (over 500,000 titles available).

Enjoy books, magazines, newspapers and described videos in a variety of formats including audio, e-text, downloadable, and braille formats.

To set up an account with CELA, please ask staff at any of the service desks for assistance. A Barrie Public Library membership is also required.

Contact us

For more information about our accessibility practices, please call 705-728-1010, email askus@barrielibrary.ca or fill out our Ask Us form.