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TTY Service

Library's Line for the Hearing Impaired
415-2701

TTY SERVICE

TTY (Telephone-Typewriter) is a special telephone that uses print to communicate instead of voice. Library staff are trained to take TTY calls and answer your questions. Please call the number above with your TTY to utilize this service.

Also, if you are hearing impaired, you may use our TTY to make calls. This service is available in the LINC Department on the 2nd Floor of the Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue. To use our TTY, please inquire at the InformationLINC Desk during library hours (9:00 - 9:00, Monday-Thursday; 9:00 - 6:00, Friday-Saturday; 1:00 - 5:00, Sunday). We provide a copy of the "BellSouth Text Telephone Directory", as well as easy to follow instructions and staff assistance.

Click here for information on the Tennessee Regulatory Authority's Relay Center Services. Or search the LINC Community Information File for more services for the hearing impaired.

NOTE: TTY is available for local and toll free calls only.

TTY Etiquette:

Just as with e-mail, there are certain rules of etiquette and commonly-used expressions in TTY usage.

  1. It is common practice for callers to identify themselves when they answer or initiate a TTY call. It is also library policy to do so.
  2. Abbreviations are commonly used in TTY conversations. (See Glossary that follows)
  3. Most punctuation marks are omitted in TTY conversations, although the Q key is commonly used at the end of a question.
  4. It is an invasion of privacy to read another person's TTY conversations without their knowledge, just as listening in on a hearing person's telephone would be.

Glossary of Common TTY Abbreviations:

GA
"Go Ahead" - indicates that the person typing has completed what he/she wants to say and is ready for a response.
HD
"Hold" - used to ask the recipient to hold on.

Q
- indicates a question.

SK
"Stop Keying" - indicates that the person typing is ready to end the call.

GA OR SK or GA TO SK
- indicated the message is complete; getting ready to hang up but giving the other person the chance to respond.

SK SK
- indicates hanging up now.

XXX
- indicates a typing error, rather than using the backspace key and retyping.