Videophone for Patrons with a Hearing Impairment

videophoneThe Chelmsford Library is now better able to serve our patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, by offering a videophone for making phone calls using a sign language interpreter.

The device is a Microsoft Surface tablet that is powered by Purple, an assistive technology which makes the phone call via video relay service. Hearing-impaired callers will see an on-screen sign language interpreter, who translates the speech from the person at the other end of the call into sign language. A Purple account is not required in order to use the public videophone, can be used to call any phone number.

The video phone may be used free of charge, and is available by request at the reference desk on the lower level of the library. It is not necessary to have a library card to use the videophone, but staff will hold your photo ID at the desk while the device is in use.

Purple provided this device at no cost to the library, as the funding comes from a Federal Communications Commission program to aid hearing-impaired citizens.

For more information on the video phone, please contact the Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.