Accessibility
Tacoma Public Library provides a variety of services for people with disabilities.
Account Access Assistance
Please let us know if you would like longer loan and hold periods. All items not on hold automatically renew up to three times. DVDs and Museum Passes can be borrowed for seven days and all other materials can be kept for 21 days. Tacoma Public Library has adopted a policy to permanently eliminate overdue fine collection on late items.
Attending Events and Classes
For an accommodation at a library event or class, please contact Gabby Fuentes with five business days (Monday-Friday) notice. She can be reached at access@tacomalibrary.org or (253) 280-2939.
Browsing Assistance
Patrons who need assistance browsing the collection please let us know when you visit our location.
Blindness and Low Vision
Audio description
The library buys movies with audio description when available. Visual media in the Kanopy and Hoopla apps have Closed Captions.
- Enabling Closed Captions, subtitles, and transcripts on Kanopy, opens a new window
- Find support and help on Hoopla, opens a new window
- DVDs with audio description, opens a new window
Large-print, e-books and audiobooks
Our libraries have large-print books and audiobooks. You can download e-books and audiobooks from the library's website. Books By Mail can deliver large print materials and audiobooks to homebound adults.
Washington Talking Book and Braille Library
Talking Book and Braille Services (through the Washington State Library) provides free library materials and services to Washingtonians who have trouble reading or holding a regular book. To learn more, call 800-542-0866 or visit the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library website, opens a new window. Tacoma Public Library staff can help you apply.
Computers
Each location has at least one computer station designed with accessibility in mind. These stations have height adjustable desks and high visibility, large type keyboards. Like all our public Internet computers, these stations also have NVDA installed as a screen reader. Library staff can help enable the Ease of Access settings on Windows 10.
High Contrast keyboards
Large type keyboards are available at each location.
Deafness and hearing loss
ASL Interpretation
To request American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation at a library event or class, please contact Gabby Fuentes five business days (Monday-Friday) before the event. Contact Gabby at access@tacomalibrary.org or (253) 280-2939.
Closed-captioned movies
The library buys closed-captioned editions of movies when available.
Video Remote Interpreting
The library contracts with Telelanguage to provide live video sign language interpretation, opens a new window via Zoom.
Mobility
Access to library locations
All libraries and their restrooms meet ADA standards.
Sensory/Autism Spectrum
The library welcomes all persons, including those with autism and sensory processing disorder.
Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
City of Tacoma ADA Disability Notice and Complaint Process, opens a new window
For more information about any of these services, please contact us.
