LED Page Magnifiers Donated

By The Vermont Joural
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Libraries are not just books. Springfield Lions Club recently donated four MagniPros 3X LED Page Magnifiers to the Springfield Town Library. Lion Mike Martin said, “The Lions Club is always looking for new ways to serve our community.” This donation will allow more people to borrow the magnifiers, which are ideal for reading small prints and for those with low vision or aging eyes.

Funds from the Friends of Springfield Town Library (FOSTL) originally provided the library with one of the magnifiers this past March. The first person to borrow it wrote a lovely letter to the library and the company that said in part, “I am slowing going blind…In order to enjoy my passion of reading for a while longer they [the librarians] loaned me a LED Page Magnifier – What a difference that made.” The patron said it was lightweight, rechargeable, portable, and had a large viewing area and the library should have more of them.

Library Director Sue Dowdell reached out to the Lions Club, whose mission includes serving the blind and visually impaired. The Club graciously approved her request for additional ones. Dowdell reported that large print keyboards have also recently been added to the patron computers for all to better see the keys.

What else is in the Library of Things collection for residents to borrow? FOSTL and grants from other organizations have funded a wide variety of items. Residents can borrow passes to local attractions, a telescope, glue guns, snowshoes, a moisture meter to test firewood, and many games and puzzles. Recent games added to the collection include chess sets, a giant Jenga-like game, horseshoes, ring toss, croquet, and bocce. These are all ready for families to use at summer picnics. Plans for the purchase of wood-burning kits are in the works to assist the budding crafters in town and for a summer program presented by a local crafter, June Brink.

Dowdell said, “Our library is here to serve the community. If anyone has suggestions for other items, please reach out. FOSTL has very graciously provided funds for these non-traditional library items and we are glad to make them available for everyone.”