The easiest way to find out whether a book is currently available is to contact the Media Center for the Visually Impaired in Lansing, Michigan, at (517) 334-1232. A phone at SSWD is available to make these calls. The Media Center uses the American Printing House database on texts in alternative formats, and is connected to the state and national system of libraries for the blind and physically handicapped. It usually takes at least two to four weeks for books to be produced in these formats.
SSWD may be able to assist the student in having individual texts produced in large print, as needed. In order to make such an arrangement, contact SSWD staff as far in advance as possible, ideally at least three months before the start of the term.
If a text is not currently available in the required format, SSWD can assist the student in devising an alternative way to read the book. For some students, using the closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) located in the Graduate and Undergraduate libraries are a good alternative when material does not exist in large print. E-text (books on computer disk) is quickly becoming an effective and efficient substitute. By using software loaded on a student's personal PC most students with a visual impairment can read a book on disk.
Please contact our office to request assistance with this service.