New CCTV available at Swem Library
Broadened View Visitors of Swem Library can use its new closed-circuit television to magnify text up to 11 inches high and in 24 different color contrast schemes. Photo courtesy of Swem Library
Looking Closer The machine allows users to view graphics including maps and photographs in color. This machine is one of pieces of equipment Swem Library has to hep persons with disabilities. Photo courtesy of Swem Library
A generous anonymous donation by a William & Mary alumna has expanded the resources Earl Gregg Swem Library has for its visitors.
Earl Gregg Swem library now has a new closed-circuit television (CCTV) that people can use to enlarge print documents for viewing.
“The donation of this CCTV means that our library users now have a much-improved way to enlarge text, photographs, maps, and other materials,” said Mary Molineux, a reference librarian at Swem.
The machine’s features include color displays that are useful for graphics and 24 different color contrast schemes.
“[This is useful] for persons whose vision works best with certain color combinations, such as yellow text on a blue background,” Molineux said.
It also has a masking feature, which allows users to focus on a specific line or portion of the text.
The new CCTV is just one of many resources Swem Library offers to help people with disabilities.
“For example, our library staff will happily retrieve materials from the shelves, work closely with students who might need help searching databases, and help library users get in and out of the library easily,” Molineux said. “There are wheelchairs, book carts, assorted magnifiers, amplifiers, and storage lockers available for anyone with disabilities who needs them.”
These services are available for all visitors of Swem. Visitors can contact Swem Library to plan their visit ahead of time or go to the front desk for help.
“The alumna who gave the CCTV to the library had appreciated the W&M community's support while she was a student here, so she wanted to ‘give back’ in a meaningful way – especially in a way that would help other students and other library users,” Molineux said. “This reflects the positive experiences that she had here as a student and the caring nature of the W&M community.”
