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Lambeth libraries SEND offer
To borrow items, use our computers, or log on to Wi-Fi, you will need to join the library.
Your library membership entitles you to borrow up to 20 physical items at any one time. You can also borrow up to another 20 e-books or audiobooks.
You can also use our libraries for study, joining a homework club, joining a book group, or listening to stories and talks by authors.
Visit the Libraries pages for information on opening times and locations
Our libraries SEN offer aims to make our service accessible to all.
All Lambeth Libraries are wheelchair accessible and disabled toilet facilities are available in all except for Waterloo Library.
Induction loops are available at Clapham, Brixton, and Streatham libraries.
Specialist equipment at Clapham Library:
• Changing Places toilet
• Changing Places bench
• Powered ceiling track hoist
• Peninsular toilet
• Height adjustable basin
• Wet room
Book Packs for young children
Booktouch
Booktouch is for children who are blind or partially sighted
There are two packs available:
- Booktouch Baby (0-2 years old)
- Booktouch Toddler (3-5 years old)
The ages are a guideline – the professionals gifting the pack decide which pack is most suitable.
Each pack has two touch-and-feel books, along with guidance around sharing books with blind and partially sighted children.
The Baby pack includes a BookTrust keyring.
Bookshine
Bookshine is for children who are deaf.
There are two packs available:
- Bookshine Baby (0-2 years old)
- Bookshine Toddler (3-5 years old)
The ages are a guideline – the professionals gifting the pack decide which pack is most suitable.
Each pack has two books, a rhyme place mat (with babies signing), along with guidance around sharing books.
The Baby pack includes a BookTrust keyring.
Bookstart Star
Bookstart Star is for children with conditions affecting their fine motor skills
This pack is available for children aged 3-5 who have disabilities that impact on or delay the development of their fine motor skills.
Each pack has two board books, puppets for playing along with the story and guidance sheets
Book Packs are provided free to parents or carers of children from 0-5 years old.
Please contact aolulode@lambeth.gov.uk if you require one of these packs.
Wriggle and Rhyme
West Norwood Library runs SENDsational Wriggle and Rhyme sessions for young children with additional needs at 1:30pm-2:30pm every Wednesday.
Class visits/special sessions
Your local branch would be pleased to offer tailored sessions or class visits to suit a variety of needs. Please contact your local library to arrange this.
Ear Defenders
Every branch has a set of ear defenders that can be used in the library and are suitable for children who have autism and sensory processing issues who may be sensitive to noise.
Books in other formats
As well as regular paperback and hardback books, Lambeth libraries have stories and information in multiple formats.
Whether you want your books with large and giant print, in audio, as e-books, or in languages other than English, we will do our best to find exactly what you need.
Nursery rhymes and story audio books are particularly beneficial to children with special educational needs, allowing less able readers to listen to stories.
Braille
Tate South Lambeth Library holds Lambeth Libraries' collection of braille books for children.
This is a small collection with a mixture of very simple grade 1 braille books and more complicated grade 2 braille books.
There is also a Perkins Brailler Machine at Tate South Lambeth which can be used for practice.
Giant Print
As well as Bag Books we now have a collection of giant print books in text size 24 and 36 for children with visual impairments who require a larger text.
Big Storytelling Collection Books
Collections of big format storytelling books are available. They have a larger font size and pictures to support children with visual impairment or can be used in larger group settings.
There is a range of stories suitable for 2 to 6 year old children.
Dyslexia Friendly Books
Books from publishers such as Barrington Stokes are in stock to support children who have difficulty in reading from mainstream titles.
Stories are pitched at the child’s real age rather than their reading age.
Books Beyond Words
These books are wordless picture stories co-created with and for people who find pictures easier to understand than words.
Bag Books
Lambeth Libraries hold a collection of Bag Books, which are interactive multi-sensory stories for children, teenagers and adults with severe to profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Each collection comes in its own sturdy box with a handle. The short stories are produced on A3 card and include a range of props.
For example:
Kofi and the Magic Shaker
A set of A3 story boards telling a traditional African story.
Kofi is sitting under a coconut tree trying to keep cool, when he is approached by a strange looking spider who offers a magical solution to the heat.
Props:
- Africa map shape and padded fleece cushion
- Kente shirtfront
- Sandal and sand paper
- Foil circle and cricket sound
- Coconut
- Spider
- Eyes and rubber smile
- Latex ball
- Xylophone
- Pom pom
- African shaker and music CD
- Three hanging birds
- Palm leaf fan
- Balloon pump
For further information about Bag Books and how to loan, please contact Sandra Davidson: sdavidson@lambeth.gov.uk or telephone 020 7926 1104
Summer Reading Challenge
This is an annual themed summer reading challenge for children between the ages of 4 to 12 years old.
The aim is to read up to six books, collecting prizes along the way during the summer holidays.
With support from staff, super sized materials are provided for children who are visually impaired, or for children with learning disabilities or dyslexia.
For further information, please contact Sandra Davidson sdavidson@lambeth.gov.uk or telephone 020 7926 1104
Tovertafel Magic Table
The Tovertafel can be used by children and adults who are neurodivergent, and those with learning difficulties and disabilities.
It projects fun and interactive games directly onto a table set out below it. There are lots of games and activities to choose from and it can be used individually or in groups.
This machine is available at Brixton, West Norwood and Tate South Lambeth libraries.
Reading and computer help for those with low vision and/or dyslexia
Lambeth Libraries offer an extensive range of equipment and programmes to help all library users, including children and young adults, to use library resources.
This includes help with reading books and other printed documents, using computers, and the internet.
All this equipment is on public display and can be used in the library at any time, with library staff who will be happy to assist.
Eye Pal Solo
The Eye Pal Solo reads text aloud. It can be used for any book or printed material in the library, and you can bring in your own books, letters, or other documents for the machine to read them aloud to you.
Available at Tate South Lambeth, Brixton and Streatham Tate Libraries.
Tate South Lambeth also has a machine which reads Portuguese.
Prodigi
Similar to the Eye Pal Solo machines, Prodigi magnifies and reads text aloud.
Prodigi is available at Tate South Lambeth and West Norwood Libraries.
Cobolt TV Mouse Magnifier
An easy-to-use device like a computer mouse, which connects directly to any TV screen. You roll the mouse over any text or image and it will be magnified onto the screen. You can alter the level of magnification to suit your requirements.
Available at Tate South Lambeth and Streatham Tate Libraries
Computers and internet access
Lambeth Libraries provide free computer and internet access as well as free Wi-Fi.
The following are available in all Lambeth Libraries and support a wide range of needs.
- Keyboards - all Lambeth library public computers have large print keyboards which are easy for everyone to see and use.
- Special magnification and speech software:
- Supernova - a commercial programme which offers magnification and speech, along with a wide range of colours and contrasts to make the screen easier to see. We also have leyboards which are specially designed to give one touch quick key access to the magnification, speech, and colour controls in Supernova.
- Thunder - a free-to-download programme which offers speech only
- Webbie - a free-to-download text-only web browser/search engine which works with Thunder, displaying websites as text-only so that Thunder can read them aloud. Webbie also has built-in magnification so you can toggle between text-only and normal web page views.
DTvip Group
This is a Digital Tuesday session designed specifically for visually impaired people.
DTvip aims to make it easier for people with visual or print impairment to use the library computers to access the internet and try out the software and hardware available.
The library is only open to those with visual impairment on these mornings, and there is help available for trying out equipment
Every Tuesday morning from 10am-12pm.
For more information telephone 0207 926 0705.