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Access Services

Access Services

The Access Services Department of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library is dedicated to ensuring that the library remains accessible to everyone regardless of specialized or adaptive needs.

Hours & More Information

Talking Books Program

Accessibility in the Library

Programming & Services

Additional Resources

Non-profit Organizations

Contact Access Services

Talking Books

Central Rappahannock Regional Library is proud to participate in the National Library Service of the Library of Congress as a Talking Books library, serving those living in the cities of Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park; counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, Westmoreland, Caroline, Culpeper, Orange, Fauquier, King George, and Prince William; and military bases of Quantico, Dahlgren, and Fort Walker.

Talking Books is a free program, with no fees or wait lines, that offers people* who have conditions that make it difficult to use regular print access to a catalog of over 100,000 titles, including Braille, foreign-language, and music instruction materials. To see if you qualify, take this quick eligibility survey.

*Qualifying veterans get priority service; students may also utilize this service as part of an IEP, and should enroll individually to ensure continued service.

How to Sign Up for Talking Books

Those who are eligible can apply for Talking Books service through:

Note that there is a certification portion on the application. Qualified certifiers include:

  • Librarians
  • Teachers
  • Reading Specialists
  • Social Workers
  • Medical professionals like doctors, nurses, rehab specialists, or similarly competent professionals

The application also allows you to choose whether you’d like to receive Talking Books on cartridges that are read aloud by machine players, both sent free by mail, or through the online service Braille and Audio Reading Download (or BARD, for short). You may choose one or both of these, and can change your choice after sign-up. Note that BARD users must have a working email. 

Additional Talking Book Offerings

Those who have enrolled in Talking Books may also qualify for:

  • NFB-Newsline, a service offered by the National Federation for the Blind that provides audio versions of newspapers, magazines, weather alerts, and more
  • Xavier Society for the Blind, which focuses on Christian-interest materials
  • Jewish Braille Institute, which focuses on Jewish-interest materials
  • Bookshare, an online audiobook collection commonly used by students

And additional services, programs, events, and resources offered by the National Library Service

Reading Lists for Talking Book Customers
Browse booklists specifically tailored to Talking Book customers. Created by the Talking Books librarian in Staunton, Virginia.

Accessibility in the Library

Location Accessibility

The library tries to make it easy for library customers to move through its branches by offering:

  • Accessible parking spaces, ramps, and restrooms at all branches.
  • An open-floor, easily traversable layout at its branches, with no interior stairs at any branches except the Fredericksburg Branch, which has elevator access to all floors.
  • Drive-up book drops and wheelchair-accessible doors at many branches.
  • Walkers or wheelchairs are available at many branches upon request.
  • Needlepoint bipolar ionization systems, which purify the air, at Porter and Howell
  • Curbside Service at most branches
  • Additional accessibility features, as listed on each branch's location page

Please contact your local library branch if you have questions about specific features at that location.

Library Collection Accessibility

The digital collection offers the following accessibility features:

  • eBooks that allow the reader to change the background color, increase text size, change line spacing, and choose the font (letter style) - including OpenDyslexic.
  • Kanopy Streaming Video which offers streaming films and documentaries with closed captioning.
  • Other online research resources with built-in accessibility features including language translation, closed-captioned videos, and text-to-speech articles.

The Access Services department is also proud to offer the following additional services at our in-person location:

  • JAWS: JAWS is a screen-reading software that allows blind individuals to use a computer with a set of headphones.
  • Braille: We have a limited capacity to Braille documents.
  • Sorensen: Insignia is a videophone, provided by the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which is available for individuals who use sign language to conduct outgoing calls on.
  • Sign language interpretation for programming.
To arrange to use these services, please contact Access Services at 540-372-1144, ext. 7054 or 1-800-628-4807, or email talking-books@crrl.org, opens a new window.

Browse the Library Collection

Programming & Services

Books-by-Mail Service

Books-by-mail is a service that sends library materials by mail to those who cannot physically come to the library due to temporary or permanent health, mobility, transportation, or age-related disability. Requested titles are checked out for one month and mailed directly to your home. You are responsible for returning them to the library, including any necessary return postage.

If you or someone you know has difficulty visiting the library and would like more information about receiving materials by mail, please email the Access Services Librarian at babak.zarin@crrl.org, or call Access Services at (540) 372-1144, ext. 7454 or 1-800-628-4807.

Library on the Go Services: We bring the library to you!

Explore the exciting ways the library brings its services to you! With our Lobby Stops service, we visit more than a dozen assisted living facilities and senior apartments, including those in the Lake Anna area. At these residential facilities, CRRL staff bring browsing materials and requested items directly to customers, customizing our selections and services to meet the needs of these special audiences.

To accommodate those who are in rural areas of our service area, we have two satellite locations open once a week in Spotsylvania County. They provide various services, such as checking out books, providing Internet access, and more.

Our newest addition to Library on the Go services is the Westmoreland Programming Van, which visits 10+ assisted living facilities, senior apartments, community centers, and more throughout Westmoreland County, twice monthly.

Cognitive and Emotional Impairment Offerings

The library recognizes that not all impairments are visible. Those with cognitive and emotional impairments - also known as “invisible” disabilities - are welcome to utilize the library's services and spaces.

  • Memory Café: A Memory Café is a comfortable, supportive environment where people with dementia and their family caregivers can socialize, build support networks, and enjoy meaningful dementia-friendly activities together. CRRL offers four quarterly Memory Cafés for those with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
  • Alzheimer Caregiver Support Groups: If you need support from others during a difficult time, this group is for you. Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association.
  • Time with a Therapy Dog & PAWS for Reading: Read or relax with a therapy dog (Grades 7-adult) or practice your reading with therapy dogs (Grades K-6). Call or visit the branch to book your time.
  • Sensory Time: Stories, songs, and activities to support early literacy practices in an environment that adapts to youth with developmental challenges.

Additional Resources

State Agencies

State agencies also offer assistive technology and services.

Virginia Department of Blind and Visually Impaired
Virginia Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

You can also learn more about the Virginia Disability Service Agencies through their Document Repository, which includes more detailed forms and applications.

The Deaf Culture Digital Library

The Deaf Culture Digital Library was established in 2021. It is dedicated to providing visitors with assistance and guidance in offering resources about deaf culture; acquiring and preserving an excellent collection of deaf resources in digital formats; furnishing access to information regardless of location; and providing highly competent assistance to Virginia residents and library staff in local public library systems, academic librarians in colleges and universities, and other libraries in the state of Virginia.

Non-profit Organizations

The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc.

Hadley Helps

Hadley promotes independent living and lifelong learning through distance education programs for people who are blind or visually impaired, their families, and blindness service providers. This includes resources that can help users earn a high school diploma, find employment, and live independently, as well as on additional topics.

Hadley works closely with the National Eye Institute and the National Eye Health Education Program, as well as many other national and international organizations that also serve older adults adjusting to vision loss.

ASL Access

ASL Access encourages access to American Sign Language in everyday life, education, and entertainment.

National Federation for the Blind (NFB)

The oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans, the NFB coordinates many programs, services, and resources to provide information and support to blind children and adults.

National Association of the Deaf (NAD)

Founded by deaf leaders in 1880, the NAD works to preserve, protect, and promote the civil, human, and linguistic rights of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Contact Access Services

Accessibility Statement

The library is committed to providing customers with equal access to:

  • library collections and services
  • programming and events
  • facilities and branches

The library honors these commitments by offering the programming and services described on this page. CRRL also tries - when possible - to acquire resources and technologies that are in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and attempts to provide reasonable accommodations to customers with disabilities upon request.

To help the library in honoring these commitments, we ask that you contact:

  • Your local library branch, at the phone number or email listed here, can answer any questions regarding specific requirements or adjustments necessary for your visit. Library staff will attempt to accommodate the needs of users who identify as having a disability.
  • Or Access Services at (540) 372-1144, ext. 7454 or 1-800-628-4807, or talking.books@crrl.org, opens a new window with any suggestions or comments about your experience using accessibility features at the library.

To help the library in honoring these commitments; to submit invitations to present informational programs or participate in community events; or for more questions or feedback overall about Access Services, please contact:

  • Your local library branch, at the phone number or email listed here, or Access Services at (540) 372-1144, ext. 7454 or 1-800-628-4807, or talking.books@crrl.org (note: we strongly recommend calling Access Services to arrange one-on-one appointments as staff availability varies.)