My Library

#1 - 3305 Smith Drive

Armstrong BC, V0E 1B1

(250) 546-8311
Get Directions

Open Hours

Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Branch Page
My Account
Locations

Accessible Reading

Disabled Library Cards
Programs
Collections
Services
Accessibility Plan

Accessibility Services

The ORL strives to support patrons with diverse needs through a variety of different collections, programs, and services.

Print Disabled Library Cards

With this card, you can access book collections created for people with print disabilities.

Who is it for?

Anyone, any age, who have trouble reading print for these reasons:

  • People with low or no vision.
  • People who cannot hold or easily use print material.
  • People with challenges relating to comprehension (e.g., learning disorders).

We also offer a card to places like care homes, or other organizations and businesses that work with people who have print disabilities.

How do I sign up?

Fill out our Print Disability status form.

Ask for a form from your nearest library or download a PDF version of the form linked below:

Already have a library card? Bring the form and your card to your local library or email the completed form to access@orl.bc.ca.

Don’t have a library card yet? Bring the form to your nearest library location when you sign up for a card. You will need to bring ID, one needs to show your current address.

See All Books

Programs

Check the Events Calendar for more programs

Collections

Physical

Large Print books can be borrowed by anyone with a library card. You can find popular books, fiction and non-fiction in this collection.

Audiobooks are recordings of popular fiction and non-fiction on multiple CDs that you can listen to on your computer (with a disk drive) or CD player. These books are available to anyone with a library card.

DAISY discs are audiobooks on a single CD. DAISY discs can be played on DAISY readers or any MP3-compatible CD Player. These books are available to readers with a print disability card.

Online

We have many digital book collections, explore them all. Here are a few to check out:

Libby app | ORL eBooks: Read more about the Accessibility Features in Libby on their Libby & Accessibility page.

CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access Collection) provides accessible collections to customers with print disabilities and to those who work with people with print disabilities in a format that works for them.

NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) is a provincially funded online collection of digital books for readers with print disabilities.  Once registered with NNELS, you will be able to download digital book formats including DAISY, MP3, eTEXT, PDF, and EPUB.

Services

We love to connect with people to help them use the library more easily.

Low Vision Books & Resources List:

Selection Service

We have a selection service where we choose items that match your tastes and make them available at your local library for pick-up.  Either you, or a friend or family member, can l pick them up with your library card.  Call 778-658-6394, or email access@orl.bc.ca for more information.

Visit Site

Extended Borrowing

If you cannot come to the library temporarily, or on a continued basis, due to illness or other disability, we can extend your loan period to 42 days for most items. Some borrowing restrictions apply. Please ask staff at your local library branch for more information.

In-branch Resources

Friendly staff at all library branches are available to help.  Some libraries have accessible equipment such as automatic doors, elevators, accessible bathrooms, walkers, wheelchairs, BlindSquare beacons, hearing loops, and a computer with ZoomText Magnifying software.

Some libraries partner with local organizations to supply home delivery of library materials to homebound customers. Please ask at your local library branch if home delivery is available in your community.

Bookshare

Bookshare is an American site that allows access close to 500,000 titles free for people with print disabilities. Access Bookshare via CELA.

Visit Site

Librivox

Librivox is a collection of free public domain audiobooks read by volunteers from around the world.

Visit Site

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg offers over 57,000 free eBooks from the world’s great literature, with focus on older works for which copyright has expired. Thousands of volunteers digitized and diligently proofread the eBooks, for enjoyment and education.

Visit Site

Diversability Service Provider Resource List

Diversability Service Provider Resource List is a PDF list of service providers in the Central, North, and South Okanagan regions, created by our librarians, for parents of children and teens.

View PDF

Accessibility Plan

The Okanagan Regional Library’s Accessibility Plan is now available, and we’d like to thank our first Accessibility & Inclusion Advisory Committee for all their hard work on it.

Our new Accessibility & Inclusion Advisory Committee (AIAC) is made up of both library staff and community members each with a personal connection to disability, representing a range of disabilities and communities within the ORL service area.

The purpose of the AIAC is to work towards ensuring that all library services, resources, and programs are accessible and inclusive to everyone in the community by advising on policies, practices, and services at the ORL to improve accessibility and champions the inclusion of diverse community voices.

Our meetings review ORL progress, discuss new initiatives, and share their thoughts and opinion on accessibility.  Please review the committee’s Terms of Reference [PDF] for more information.

We are committed to working with our committee to learn how we could be more accessible.  Please contact access@orl.bc.ca for any request or comments.

Learn More