Contestants take part in a reading competition for disabled readers at Zhejiang Library in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo provided by Zhejiang Library]

During the first National Reading Week, which runs through April 26, the first reading contest for disabled readers organized by public libraries in Zhejiang was recently held across the province.

As Zhejiang's first comprehensive reading competition for certified disabled readers, the event covered seven cities — Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Quzhou, Taizhou, and Lishui — and drew participation from more than 300 readers.

The contest was led by Zhejiang Library and jointly organized by 14 public libraries across the province. At the Zhejiang Library venue, volunteers provided support throughout the event, assisting with check-in, guidance, equipment setup, process briefings, and answering questions, allowing nearly 40 participants to focus on the competition.

Unlike previous reading activities that mainly targeted a single type of disability, the contest for the first time broadly invited readers with visual, hearing, speech, and physical disabilities to compete on the same stage. To ensure fairness, the event introduced two groups: one for visually impaired readers who rely on audio reading and use dedicated audiobook devices, and the other for hearing-impaired and other disabled readers who prefer visual reading.

Zhejiang Library said it will continue working with public libraries at all levels to expand accessible reading services.