Patrons who are visually impaired now may take advantage of a new software program called Job Access With Speech or JAWS. Users can pull up information on the computer screen and listen as the text is read on the screen.

The Prescott Valley Public Library now offers a laptop computer for patrons with the JAWS software installed. JAWS is a screen reader that works with the Windows operating system and uses an integrated voice synthesizer and the computer's sound card.

Quick start guides for this software are available, at the reference desk, in Braille and standard type. For further information please call the library reference desk at 759-3045.

Also this program offers a self-training menu and tutorial for the individual using the JAWS.

In the next fiscal year the library will offer descriptive videos that explain the details of a movie. For example, the narrator might say, "The man is riding a horse down the street." The descriptive videos are for the sight impaired and for more information please call the library at 759-3040.

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