500 Main Street Hartford, CT 06103 (860) 695-6300  

 Books | Videos | Periodicals and Newspapers | Local Resources | Websites   | Dating     En Español

Hartford Public Library selects materials for all users including large print books, e-books, books on CD or tape. The Information Reference and Referral area has assistive technology  for people with  impaired vision and those in wheelchairs.  Our computer training room and our program room have assisted listening devices for people with hearing impairments. In the future we will be adding new technology that will bring all of our services to people with disabilities.

Click here to read a helpful resource to communicate with and about people with disabilities.

NEW!  
President Bush Signs the ADA Amendments Act into Law
On Thursday, September 25, 2008, the President signed into law: S. 3406, the "ADA Amendments Act of 2008," which clarifies and broadens the definition of disability and expands the population eligible for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.


  WebAnywhere is an exciting open source software program that let's people who are blind surf the web.  The beauty of is that it is free and can be downloaded for free at public computers in libraries, hotels, or internet cafes.

Books|

Non-Fiction

	Accessible Connecticut: a guide to recreation for children with disabilities and their families / Nora Ellen Groce, Lawrence C. Kaplan, and Josiah David Kaplan. GV183.6 .G76 2002 Ref
	Connecticut resource directory: a guide to services and opportunities for persons with spinal cord injury or disease and others with severe physical disabilities / National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Connecticut Chapter.HV3011.C8 N37 2002 Ref
	The disabled woman's guide to pregnancy and birth / Judith Rogers. RG580.P48 R64 2006
	Flying colors: the story of a remarkable group of artists and the transcendent power of art / Tim Lefens. N88.3 .L44 2002
	Laughing Allegra: the inspiring story of a mother's struggle and triumph raising a daughter with learning disabilities / Anne Ford, with John-Richard Thompson. LC4705 .F67 2003
	Too late to die young: nearly true tales from a life / Harriet McBryde Johnson. HV3013.J65 A3 2005
	You will dream new dreams: inspiring personal stories by parents of children with disabilities / Stanley D. Klein and Kim Schive, editors ; foreword by Richard Thornburgh. HQ759.913 .K54 2001
	The ultimate guide to sex and disability: for all of us who live with disabilities, chronic pain, and illness / by Miriam Kaufman, Cory Silverberg, and Fran Odette ; illustrated by Fiona Smyth. RC108 .K38 2003
Fiction	The following books feature characters with disabilities.  To find more books search our Catalog by a subject such as <quadriplegics -- fiction>, <blind -- fiction>, or <deaf--fiction>, etc.
	The cold moon: a Lincoln Rhyme novel. 2006 Deaver, Jeffery.
	The twelfth card: a Lincoln Rhyme novel Deaver, Jeffery.
	The price of murder Alexander, Bruce, 1932-
	The unspeakable : a novel  Calia, Charles Laird.
Videos
	The Hartford Public Library owns over 700 closed-captioned videos.  For a complete list use the following subject heading: Video recordings for the hearing impaired. WGBH Media Access Services provides described videos for people with visual impairments. They offer a mirror image site in Spanish.

Local Resources: Agencies, Organizations and Information

Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. is a non-profit organization that offers assistance to people recovering from psychiatric disabilities, as well as their families. Information is also available in Spanish.

Advocacy Unlimited, Inc.
300 Russell Rd.
Wethersfield, CT 06109
(860) 667-0460
Toll free in CT: 1-800-573-6929 Fax: (860) 667-2240

info@mindlink.org

AFCAMP - African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities is a parent-run organization. It's mission is to educate, inform and support parents of children with disabilities with the purpose of improving their children's education and quality of life.  You may contact the organization at: 60-B Weston Street
Hartford, CT 06120
Toll free: 1 (800) 842-7303 or (860) 297-4358 email:
 afcamp@sbcglobal.net

American School for the Deaf serves the deaf and hard of hearing community as a multifaceted innovative institution dedicated to the development of intellect and the enhancement of quality of life, producing educated and self-directed citizens.
139 North Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107

(860) 570-2300 (Voice) -

(860) 570-2222 (TTY)


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Adapt is a national grassroots organization that advocates the right for people with disabilities to live in their own homes, not nursing homes. They advocate support services to allow people to live in the community.
Connecticut Adapt contact: Claude Holcomb
860/524-9073 day & evening
860/566-8714 fax
adaptct2@juno.com

Assistance Dogs Unlimited is dedicated to increasing the independence and enriching the quality of life of people who are physically challenged by means of the use of specially trained and certified dogs.
P.O. Box 326
Rocky Hill, CT 06067

860 593-5340

info@assistancedogsunlimited.org

Connecticut Council on Disabilities The Council on Developmental Disabilities is a Governor-appointed body of people with disabilities, family members and professionals who work together to promote the full inclusion of people with disabilities in community life.
460 Capitol Avenue

Hartford, CT 06106
860-418-6160 (voice)
418-6003 (FAX)
418-6172 (TTY)
1-800-653-1134(CTonly)

Connect-Ability is a program to put people with disabilities in contact with Connecticut employers.

Connecticut Disability Advocacy Collaborative The purpose of the Collaborative is to draw from the collective strength and energy of individuals with disabilities and families, as well as the dozens of advocacy organizations that exist in the state, in order to have a meaningful impact on the way services and supports are provided people with disabilities in Connecticut.
Contact:
     c/o 7 Shadow Lane
     Cromwell, CT 06416
     860-614-8351
     skosloski03@comcast.net

Corporation for Independent Living administers a grant for accessibility program.
 

CPTV links to resources. In addition, a series called "Able Lives" is a series documenting lives of people with disabilities in Connecticut. The first two episodes were aired in April and May 2006 with segments 3-5 aired in July, August  and episode 6 will be aired October 19, 2006.

Greater Hartford Association for Retarded Citizen's HARC-CT has focused on helping families of people with disabilities.  Families receive support in many forms. The organizations helps with many life issues such as work, school and living conditions.

Hartford Artisans Center a program of Oak Hill, was established in 1995 by Rebecca Earl, Ph.D. and EdJohnetta Miller, to meet the economic and social needs of people with disabilities, primarily blindness, and those who are elderly.

Independence Unlimited is a non-profit in Hartford that  provides training workshops on disability issues.
Candace Low, Executive Director
151 New Park Avenue - Suite D
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 523-5021 (V)
(860) 529-0436 (TDD)
e-mail: indunl@aol.com


Learning Disabilities Association of Connecticut, Inc.  is a non-profit organization of parents, professionals, and persons with learning disabilities. They are dedicated to promoting a better understanding of learning disabilities and securing appropriate educational and employment opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities and related disorders.
999 Asylum Avenue, 5th Floor

Hartford, CT
(860) 560-1711
(860) 560-1750 (FAX)
information@ldact.org

Library for the blind and physically handicapped provides free mail loan of recorded and Braille books and magazines and necessary playback equipment to eligible state residents unable to read conventional print because of a visual or physical disability.

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New England Assistive Technology Marketplace offers hands on use and training of assistive technology.  Staff is available to help find information about goods and services for people with disabilities.
120 Holcomb St.
Hartford, CT 06112
Toll free in CT: (866) 526-4492
(provided through a grant from the Ct Tech Act Project)
or (860) 243-2869
Call: 860-286-3113 TTY
Email: info@neatmarketplace.org

Office of Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities is an independent State agency created to safeguard and advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities in Connecticut. They publish a Disability Resource Directory for People with Disabilities.

Websites

ADA Home Page This page provides information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are many links to other government agencies with ADA responsibilities.

Census Brief: Disabilities Affect One-fifth of all Americans This is a report from the Census Department that indicates that one fifth of our population is currently disabled and that number will grow dramatically in the coming decades as our population ages.

DisabilityInfo.gov is the Federal Government's one stop Web site for people with disabilities.  Here you will find out about topics such as employment, transportation, housing, technology and more.

Disaboom.com Here you will find an online community and resources for those who have been touched by disability. The website also provides resources for people who might need to rent assistive equipment such as vans and cars plus in depth research on various medical issues.

MedlinePlus: Disabilities The National Institutes of Health publishes this comprehensive page regarding disabilities. It lists organizations, related issues, financial issues, government agencies and even has a locator to find resources by region.

National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) is a Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) training and technical assistance provider. Through comprehensive training, technical assistance, and product dissemination, NSIP strives to ensure meaningful service experiences for all Americans, regardless of their abilities. The corporation will design training tailored to meet an organization's needs.

Very Special Arts This website showcases the many ways people with disabilities can enjoy and participate in the arts.
Dating:  different online dating sites

These sites specialize in finding dates for people with chronic illness or disability.
Differently Abled Winners Network:
Disabled Dating Club
EnableLove
Lovebyrd
Special Singles Online

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