Georgia Library Service: Modernizing Digital Library Access
AppZoro built an accessible library management system software platform for Georgia Library Service (GLS). It gives readers with visual impairments and print disabilities digital access to braille and talking books, replacing reliance on physical catalogs and mailed media.
- 500+
- App Downloads
- 200+
- Total Users
- 120+
- Push Notifications
Project Overview
Georgia Library Service (GLS), based in Atlanta, provides a free braille and talking book service for people with visual impairments and print disabilities. Its mission is to reduce literacy and education barriers by giving readers equal access to information.
Before the new platform, many users depended on legacy systems from local libraries, physical catalogs, mailed media, and in-person support. These methods caused delays and made engagement harder, especially in rural areas.
AppZoro developed an accessible digital library platform to move GLS toward a digital-first experience. Readers can browse fiction, non-fiction, academic texts, newspapers, and magazines in braille, audio, and other adaptive formats. The platform serves GLS readers and the staff who support them.
Client Requirement
GLS needed a modern library management software solution built around accessibility. Readers with visual impairments and print disabilities were still using physical catalogs, mailed media, and in-person support to reach braille and audio books. This created unnecessary delays and made it hard for rural and underserved communities to use the library.
The requirement was a user-friendly digital platform that gives readers direct digital access to the Georgia Library Service’s Braille and Talking Book collection, supports users with varying degrees of visual impairment, integrates with the existing GLS catalog and database, meets accessibility standards including WCAG, and enables GLS staff to effectively support users on the updated system.
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Make reading more accessible for people with visual impairments and print disabilities, wherever they live. The solution replaces manual access methods with an accessible digital platform connected to the GLS catalog.
Challenges We Overcame
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Challenges
Dependence on outdated access methods: physical media, mailed delivery, and long wait times
Reaching rural and underserved communities
Serving users with different levels of visual impairment
Synchronizing the new application with the existing catalog and GLS database
Meeting accessibility standards such as WCAG
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Solutions / Results
A digital-first distribution model, with book delivery wait times down by over 80%
An intuitive platform with personalized recommendations and remote programming, raising awareness of GLS services
Prototypes that simulated screen-reader, keyboard, and voice-control use, validated through usability testing with GLS community members
A Node.js and Express.js backend built for API integration, user authentication, and catalog access
UI design aligned with WCAG, with accessibility aligned with ADA and WCAG requirements
Platform Features
The GLS digital library platform combines accessible design with practical library functions, so readers can find and use content on their own terms.
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Readers can browse an accessible collection of fiction, non-fiction, academic texts, newspapers, and magazines in braille, audio, and adaptive formats.
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The React.js interface was built to work for screen reader users and people with low vision.
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Text can scale, and high-contrast features support readers with low vision.
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A streamlined layout was designed to work for all user types.
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The platform suggests content based on the reader's interests and activity.
Our Approach
AppZoro treated this project as a rebuild of the reader experience, not just a technology upgrade. Each phase put GLS users and staff first, from discovery through accessibility-focused design to implementation.
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Discovery & Planning
- Audited the existing infrastructure and GLS processes, and interviewed stakeholders.
- It showed where the legacy library management platform fell short for users and staff.
- A clear picture of where a modern public library management system could add the most value.
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Accessibility-Focused Design & Prototyping
- Created wireframes and interactive prototypes simulating screen-reader, keyboard-navigation, and voice-control experiences. We ran usability testing with GLS community members.
- Inclusive design had to be validated by the people it was built for.
- UI elements aligned with WCAG and a modular architecture that can scale without disrupting the user experience.
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Agile Development
- Built the platform in agile cycles in collaboration with the GLS team, using React.js, Node.js, Express.js, and MongoDB.
- Iterative delivery allowed ongoing feedback and flexibility.
- A responsive interface with dynamic font scaling, high-contrast features, and simplified navigation, backed by a foundation for API integration, authentication, and catalog access.
Tech stack
Technologies
Built with a modern, scalable technology ecosystem.
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Frontend
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React.js
Frontend
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Backend
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Node.js
Backend
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Hosting
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AWS
Hosting
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API integration
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Express.js
API integration
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Database
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MongoDB
Database
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How It Works
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Access the Platform
Readers open the GLS web platform, which supports user authentication.
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Browse the Catalog
They explore GLS's collection of braille and talking books through simplified, accessible navigation.
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Discover by Category or Recommendation
Books are categorized, and personalized recommendations point readers to titles that match their interests.
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Read or Listen in Accessible Formats
Readers access content in braille, audio, or other adaptive formats, with downloads tracked by the platform.
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Return to a Personalized Experience
Profiles and reading history keep each reader's activity organized for future visits.
Results Achieved
- 80% Lower Book Delivery Wait Times
- 50% Increase in Monthly Active Users
- 100% ADA & WCAG Compliant
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Client Testimonial
"AppZoro Technologies, Inc. was responsive and flexible."
