Library for special students on campus

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, July 22

Himachal Pradesh University today earned the distinction of becoming the second university in North India after Delhi to have a separate library for visually impaired and physically challenged students.

Established at a cost of Rs 25 lakh, the one-of-its-kind library with 13 functional computers is equipped with scanners, zoom test, talking software (JAWS, NVDA and OCR). It will go a long way in facilitating the physically challenged, helping them in realisation of their dreams.

Inaugurating the library, CM Jai Ram Thakur said accessible libraries would be established in colleges and schools having specially abled students.

He, along with Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, experienced reading through the talking software demonstrated by visually impaired students Ajay Kumar and Muskan.

“The computers are equipped with the talking software, which guides the students and enables them to read books online. With the help of scanner and zoom text, the content in the books and newspapers is scanned and converted into word format, which is read by the talking software,” visually impaired Muskaan, who cleared NET in music, said.

Indu, who cleared NET in political science, said: “Earlier, we faced difficulties and a lot of limitations in reading, but now the world of books is open and easily accessible to us.”

Nodal officer for disability affairs of the HPU Ajai Srivastava said the students would be able to access lakhs of books available in Sugamya Pustakalaya established by Government of India and International Book Share Library.

More than 15 specially abled students of the university have cleared JRF/NET/SET examinations. At present, there are 17 visually impaired and over 50 physically challenged students studying in the university.

Equipped with talking software 

Established at a cost of Rs 25 lakh, the one-of-its-kind library with 13 functional computers is equipped with scanners, zoom test, talking software (JAWS, NVDA and OCR). With the help of scanner and zoom text, the content in the books and newspapers is converted into word format.