Public Library Services Now More Accessible

WAUKESHA, Wis. - June 2, 2014 - PRLog -- People who use hearing aids with a t-coil switch are now finding public libraries in Waukesha County easier to use. Eight public libraries in Waukesha County have service desk hearing loops, thanks to a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services received by the Waukesha County Federated Library System.

The libraries have installed hearing loops at its service desks, indicated by a hearing loop sign. A hearing loop is an assistive listening system that transmits sound from a microphone directly to a hearing aid or cochlear implant, via a tiny and inexpensive receiver called a telecoil (t-coil).  When using the t-coil setting on a hearing aid it turns off the microphone so that it will only pick up the electromagnetic signal and converts it to sound.

Library visitors with hearing loss can now have a better listening experience because with hearing loops there is no need to pick up a portable receiver, they use a universal magnetic signal, it is inconspicuous and it delivers personalized in-the-ear sound. Not sure if your hearing aid has a t-coil? Check with your audiologist for more information.

The public libraries in Waukesha County participating in this grant project include: Brookfield, Delafield, Elm Grove, Mukwonago, Muskego, New Berlin, Oconomowoc, and Waukesha.

For more information, visit www.wcfls.org.