Rijeka City Library presented the results of the Erasmus + project “TECH.LIBRARY”

Rijeka City Library presented the results of the Erasmus+ project Tech.Library on November 28 in the Library’s  Reading Room at a meeting called “Library services for blind and partially sighted users in the Rijeka City Library”. The goal of this event was networking and sharing experiences with other libraries and organizations with the presentation of resources available on the web platform TECH.LIBRARY which provides information, videos and materials for training and demonstration, and a lot of content useful for improving digital competencies in working with blind and partially sighted persons. Emili Ilić and Ivan Babić from Rijeka City Library introduced the project and all the outputs done in this project to all participants. There was also a demonstration workshop done with all the tools and materials that Rijeka City Library uses in a day to day work with visually impaired patrons. Also, the inclusive project “Book for Everyone” was presented by Maja Ogrizović from an NGO Filmaktiv.

The project was made in cooperation with the Portić Association, the Association of the Blind of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Association of the Deaf and of the hard of hearing of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the Rijeka City Library as an example of good inclusive practice.

Digital technologies and online tools are key factors in promoting improved library services service for blind and partially sighted users. In this context, project activities achieved 3 outcomes: the TECH.LIBRARY web platform, videos representing the intended technologies for people with visual impairments and a handbook with best practice recommendations, developed in languages partner, but also in English.

Funded under the Erasmus+ program, the project will have a long-term impact on the professional development of library staff in ICT methodologies, while improving their key skills and encouraging much greater library involvement, improving the key services intended for blind and partially sighted users across Europe.