Resources, information and additional services to support people with dyslexia will be promoted in libraries and hubs across Cardiff throughout this year's Dyslexia Awareness Week.
Hubs and libraries across the city will run special stock promotions during Dyslexia Awareness Week (October 7 - 13) to highlight the range of dyslexia-friendly books, titles by dyslexic authors, factual information on the topic and other support services available.
The week of awareness-raising forms part of Welsh Libraries' Living in Well in Wales campaign, which seeks to help Wales become a happier and healthier nation by promoting the positive role libraries can play in people's wellbeing.
The campaign comprises of four awareness events and has already focused on Dementia Action Week with Alzheimer's Society Cymru in May and Know Your Numbers! Week in September with Blood Pressure UK. As well as supporting the British Dyslexia Association this month, the campaign encourages people to take part in Do Something Different Day to improve their physical and mental wellbeing on January 21, supposedly the ‘most depressing day of the year'.
Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems, with reading, writing and spelling. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and literacy skills.
But with the right support, including that of accessible and supportive public libraries, people's strengths and talents can really shine.
As well as a range of dyslexia-friendly children's stock, adults' titles, reference and support books available in libraries and hubs, all public access PCs have programmes to help dyslexic people, including a magnifier to help distinguish between characters more easily, and a narrator that reads text aloud.
High contrast keyboards are available to help letters stand out clearer than on a conventional keyboard while reading rulers and coloured overlays that can help reduce glare from the page of a book are also available.
Electronic reading pens, which are rolled across text and then read it aloud to the user, are available on request for use within libraries and hubs.
Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: "Dyslexia can have an impact on so many aspects of every day life and it's important that our libraries and hubs are supportive environments that consider how they can best help people with dyslexia.
"Many members of staff have received dyslexia awareness training from the British Dyslexia Association to make sure that our customers get the best experience possible when using our libraries and hubs.
"We're really pleased to be part of this Welsh Libraries campaign, working with the British Dyslexic Association to promote resources during Dyslexia Awareness Week. We hope people find the books, information and services we have useful and enables them to make the most out of their local library or hub."
Helen Boden, CEO, British Dyslexia Association, said: "Whilst dyslexia brings challenges around reading and writing, huge numbers of dyslexics have a great love literature, poetry and nonfiction, and many go on to write works of their own, including some of the greats.
"It is wonderful to see Welsh Libraries encouraging the next generation of dyslexic readers. Having dyslexia-friendly books available, showcasing dyslexic authors and hosting events on dyslexia makes all the difference.
"Every year, we are understanding more about how dyslexia is a different way to understand our world, with strengths and weaknesses. It is becoming clearer and clearer that we need to empower dyslexic thinking at school and on into the workplace if we going to build the best organisations possible.
"Empowering dyslexia isn't just an issue of managing weaknesses and complying with the law, it is about coming together as an organisation at all levels, and exploring the value dyslexia is bringing now and how to maximise that in the future."