Living with a Disability
Sight Problems
Audio, Braille and large print documents
Pembrokeshire Library and Information Service
Help from the Health Service
If you are having problems with your sight, go to your GP or optician as soon as possible. If necessary, they may refer you to an eye clinic or a consultant ophthalmologist. Your doctor or optician will also be able to provide details of Low Vision Clinics where you can borrow special magnifiers or glasses. Clinics will also be able to give you details of organisations that can offer you emotional support or advice concerning particular conditions.
Help from Adult Care
Pembrokeshire County Council has a specialist visual impairment team. The team carries out assessments and provides support and services to help people find practical solutions to the everyday problems that arise from sight loss. Tel: 01437 764551.
Audio, Braille and large print documents
If you wish to get audio versions (tape or CD), Braille or large print versions of any documents you receive (e.g. from your bank, building society etc), speak to the organisation and ask for the document to be provided. Transcriptions can be provided by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (opens in a new tab) (RNIB)
Specialist Organisations
- Pembrokeshire Blind Society
Tel: 01437 781419
RNIB Cymru, Jones Court, Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BR
Tel: 029 2082 8500
email: cymru@rnib.org.uk
Helpline 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 8.45am to 6pm; Saturday 9 – 4pm)
Head Office, Crown Chambers, South Street, Andover,
Helpline: 0300 3030 111
Email: info@mascularsociety.org
1 Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, DN2 6AA
Tel: 0844 477 4966
- Action for Blind People
53 Sandgate Street, London, SE15 1LE
Tel: 01302 965195
Email: reception@partsight.org.uk
Tel: 0118 983 5555
- Guide Dogs Cymru
Building 3, Eastern Business Park, St Mellons, Cardiff.
Tel: 0118 983 8746
Email: Cardiff.MobilityTeam@guidedogs.org.uk
National Centre for Deafblindness, 19 Rainbow Court, Paston Ridings, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE4 7UP
Tel/Textphone: 01733 358 100
Email: info@deafblind.org.uk
Pembrokeshire Library and Information Service
For full details see Pembrokeshire Libraries
Anyone with a disability can:
- Borrow Audio Books - (on Cassette and CD) for free
- Borrow DVDs - for £1.00 per item
- Return books late without any overdue charges
Friends or Family
If disability or a health problem prevents you from using a library in person, you can nominate someone (a friend or family member) to select and take out books on your behalf. Simply complete a Friends or Family Form and ask the nominated person to return it to the library they intend to use.
There are no charges for overdue items.
Computers
Free access to the internet is available for up to one hour per day at all our libraries. Dolphin Supernova software which enables the partially sighted to access the screen is installed on a PC at each of our libraries.
Books on prescription
This is a national scheme, funded by the Welsh Government. The aim of the scheme is to help patients that have mild to moderate mental health problems. Doctors are able to prescribe a book from a list of self help titles which are available in public libraries.
Just take your prescription to a local library and collect the book that has been prescribed. If a copy is not immediately available, library staff will reserve a copy and let you know when the book becomes available.
Children and Family Books Bibliotherapy
This is a national scheme, which enables a child who has an emotional or psychological problem to get a ‘book recommendation' from someone who works directly with families, such as a GP or Health Visitor.
The scheme operates in the same way as the Books on Prescription scheme above.
With all the above services, there are no charges for overdue items. However it is appreciated by other users if items are returned on time. Haverfordwest Reference Library also has the following equipment available for use by the public.
- Canon ReadEasy Document Reading System - converts scanned texts into speech
- Bierley Big Reader - scroll the mouse across the text or image and it will be magnified on to the screen
- Big Mouse and Keyboard(with large letters) which can be used on our computers
Audio books and newspapers
Local Newspapers
The following weekly local newspapers produce a taped version of the weekly newspapers:-
- Western Telegraph
- Tenby Observer
- Milford Mercury
The tapes are delivered free of charge in a plastic wallet with free return postage. Membership can be arranged via the Rehabilitation Officers based within Adult Care.
National Talking Newspapers and Magazines
Tel: 0303 123 9999
Calibre Audio Library
01296 432339
RNIB Talking Book Service (opens in a new tab)
Tel: 0303 123 9999
Royal Mail Articles for the Blind
Royal Mail operate a scheme called Articles for the Blind that allows blind and partially sighted people to send and receive specialist items in the post free of charge. Tel: 0345 607 6140
Dewis Cymru (opens in a new tab) is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.