Lisa Scott
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 04/05) - One of the things Andy Barnet missed the most when he started losing his sight was poring over copies of Reader's Digest.

Norma Jarvis, regional manager for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, helps John Sperry navigate the internet on a new enlarged screen and keyboard at the opening of a new low vision centre in the Yellowknife Library. - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo

With the opening of a new low vision centre at the public library, he can again read his favourite magazine.

"It's excellent. It makes a huge difference to be able to use the technology to read," says Barnet, who has 30 per cent vision in one eye and 20 per cent in the other.

The centre, located in the back left corner of the library, features a closed circuit television that enlarges print up to 40 times. It also has a computer with large icons and a big print keyboard and screen.

The library also boasts 10,000 new large print books, up from the 250 they used to have.

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind partnered with the department of Education, Culture and Employment to boost the reading services available for people with vision impairment in Yellowknife.

The $20,000 centre was made possible through the department's Learning Support for Persons with Disabilities fund.

Norma Jarvis of the CNIB pitched the idea.

With an aging population and increases in diseases like diabetes, she says the low vision centre is needed in the city.

Not many of her clients can afford to have the $3,000 closed-circuit televisions in their homes and now they don't have to.

Library manager Deborah Bruser says their budget was too limited to offer services for people with low vision.

"We are hoping the technology and material are going to enable the visually impaired in Yellowknife to not be cut off," she says.

The centre will be open during regular library hours and Jarvis is available through the CNIB for anyone who needs a little help navigating the system.