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#Disability Pride at the Library

Disability Pride Month is celebrated every year in July, in part, to celebrate the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. It's a time to embrace and honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community.

In Jacksonville, we commemorate the day with an annual Disability and Adaptive Recreation Expo at the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center. 

Earlier this year, Jacksonville Public Library launched a new Books-by-Mail Service for Duval County residents who are unable to visit the Library due to a temporary or permanent disability or illness. Postage is paid both ways, so there's no cost to you.

We also have Talking Books, Braille books and magazines, Sensory Friendly Storytimes, and other accessibility options and assistive technologies available for residents and library card holders. Find the Library's booth at the Disability Expo on Thursday, July 25, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. or reach out to us online or over the phone at (904) 255-BOOK to sign up.

#Book Recommendations

We love to share selections that demonstrate the range of our collection all year and we encourage you to explore these books with us this month!

Books for Kids

Teen Reads

Books for Adults

Did you know? Each color stripe in the disability pride flag represents a different part of the community. Red represents those with physical disabilities. Gold represents neurodiversity. White honors those with invisible or undiagnosed disabilities. Blue is for emotional and psychiatric disabilities including mental illness, anxiety, and depression. The green stripe is for sensory disabilities including deafness, blindness, audio processing disorder, etc. The diagonal band cuts across the walls and barriers that separate the disabled community from society (and also represents light cutting through the darkness). The faded black background is meant to symbolize the mourning and rage for victims of ableist violence and abuse.  

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Get Library Materials Delivered to Your Home

If you or someone you love are unable to come to the Library due to disability or illness, Jacksonville Public Library now offers a FREE service that delivers books and other library materials to Duval County residents via the United States Postal Service.

Available materials include regular print books, large print books, audiobooks on CD, magazines, music CDs and DVDs. 

3 Ways to Apply for Books by Mail

1. Complete the online Books by Mail Application
2. Contact us by phone at (904) 255-2665.
3. Request a paper application be sent to you (or someone you know) in the mail.

Books by Mail customers receive deliveries in our convenient, reusable nylon bags. When you're done, you put your items back into the same bag, flip the address card over, and give it to your postal carrier. 

Learn more on our Books by Mail page.

Talking Books

The Talking Books Library loans audiobooks and magazines, along with a player, FREE by mail to persons who have difficulty reading or using printed books and other materials because of blindness, or visual, physical, or reading disabilities. 

Talking Books are full-length, unabridged books on digital cartridges (or in Braille) available for loan to eligible readers of all ages and interests, beginning with pre‑school. The Talking Books collection includes current bestsellers, romance, and mystery novels, literary fiction, non‑fiction such as science and history, print/Braille books for young readers, and over 70 current magazine subscriptions.

Once you are registered, you can also apply for BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download). Digital materials may be downloaded at no cost directly to a smartphone or tablet or transferred from a computer to a USB drive (to be played on a Talking Books player).

Learn more on our Talking Books page.

#The Digital Library Is Open 24/7