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RHPL will be closed Monday, November 9 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for major renovation preparations. The library will open from 5-9 p.m. for regular service. The drive-up will be open both days from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Large Print for All

1 day ago
2 min read

In a world that’s becoming increasingly digital, every single way we read holds more value and significance than ever before. There are many modes of reading, including large print books, which offer the clear advantage of improved visibility of the words, making them easier to see from a normal distance. Large print books are often used by patrons with vision impairments, although there are several other benefits associated with reading large print books compared to standard print that can apply to all readers.


The back covers of the same two books are placed side by side. On the left, a paperback book with the words "Standard paperback" above it, and the words "stylized back cover" below it, illustrating the features of a standard paperback. On the right is the back of a book with the words "large print paperback" above it and "simplified, high-contrast back cover" below it, illustrating the more straightforward and legible design of large print books.

To explore this, in 2019, the world’s leading large print publisher, Thorndike Press, designed a nationwide study to test the impact of large print-formatted books on nearly 1,700 students, librarians, and teachers. I think you’d be surprised at the results!


The study identified many positive benefits to reading large print books. These include reduced feelings of anxiety about reading, increased focus, and increased enjoyment overall for readers. This is so exciting for new and experienced readers! What distinguishes large print books from their standard print counterparts that does this? Factors such as the use of a larger font size, reduced word density per page, high-contrast black ink, a one-third increase in line spacing, and increased spacing between words all facilitate easier decoding and tracking of the text. 


The insides of the same two books are placed side by side. On the left, a paperback book with the words "Standard paperback" above it, and the words "11 or 12 pt font" below it, illustrating text size of a standard paperback. On the right, the inside of a book with the words "large print paperback" above it and "16 pt font or larger" below it, illustrating the larger text in large print books.

These features support more efficient word recognition, enhance information processing, improve reading comprehension, and help build reading confidence. These benefits are achieved with only a modest increase in font size. If you have found reading challenging or would like to improve your focus and reading comprehension skills, utilizing large print books may be a helpful option to consider!


Regardless of your age or reading ability, large print books may help enhance your reading

experience or provide a more comfortable way to start. Feel free to explore any of our over 6,000 titles from our Outreach Services collection!



This blog was written by Shelby Jeffrey, Outreach Librarian.


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