Photo: (seated) Tammy Kuhn-Schnell, dean of the LLCC Library; and Dr. Charlotte Warren, LLCC president; accept the donation of a Portable InfoLoop device from members of the Sertoma Club of Springfield (back) Greg Lueken, president; Bob Griffith, board chair; Mark Hanson and Rick Griminger, board members; Susan Allen, program vice president; and Cheryl Pence, secretary.

The Sertoma Club of Springfield yesterday donated a Portable InfoLoop device to the LLCC Library to assist students with hearing loss.

The device amplifies conversations while reducing background noise and is self-contained to keep conversations private. The InfoLoop is compatible with cochlear implants and hearing aids that have t-coils and includes a special headset.

Dr. Charlotte Warren, president of LLCC, tried the device and was impressed with its capability to amplify voices of people, even those wearing a mask. She commented, “We are so appreciative to the Sertoma Club for giving us this useful tool to assist our hearing-impaired students and staff.”

Dr. Warren also noted that she worked closely with hearing impaired students while researching and writing her doctoral dissertation, and assisting them is close to her heart.

Tammy Kuhn-Schnell, dean of the LLCC Library, said, “We are excited to receive the Portable InfoLoop so students and patrons with hearing impairments can receive the best service possible from circulation staff or reference librarians. The device is small and portable and can be used for conversations at the library service desks or for other conversations in the library.

“Hearing impaired students will recognize an informational symbol on the library’s main door and know that an InfoLoop device is available onsite for use,” she added. “The LLCC Library is a welcoming, inclusive place where students can discover, grow and learn, and the Portable InfoLoop will help the library serve more LLCC students.”

The donation is part of a national effort by Sertoma to mark Better Hearing and Speech Month in May. This year, clubs across the country have selected libraries as the beneficiaries.

The Sertoma Club of Springfield has long had a focus on assisting those with hearing impairments. The club has provided assistive listening devices (ALDs) for various community venues including the Hoogland Center for the Arts, the Legacy Theatre, Lincoln Library and the Old State Capitol. The club also provides scholarships for area students planning careers in communication sciences and disorders and offers a program to assist low-income seniors in obtaining hearing aids.

More information on the Sertoma Club of Springfield is available from Greg Lueken, club president, at gafl4@hotmail.com. For more information on LLCC Library services, visit www.llcc.edu/library.