Braille Services

The City of Los Angeles Department on Disability coordinates Braille services to support access to City programs, services, and information. Braille services may be provided in house for limited requests or coordinated with other City departments or external vendors, depending on the scope, format, and timeline.

How to Request Braille Services

Requests for Braille materials can be emailed to: DOD-Remediation@lacity.org.

When submitting a request, include:

• The document or material to be converted

• The requested format, if known

• The desired timeline or due date

• Any relevant context, such as how the material will be used

Early requests are strongly encouraged, as Braille production often requires additional time.

Services the Department on Disability Can Support

Depending on the request, timeline, and material type, the Department on Disability may be able to assist with:

• • Braille translation of plain text and Microsoft Word documents

  • Preparation of Braille-ready digital files compatible with refreshable Braille displays

  • Limited in-house Braille embossing for small requests on standard 8.5 x 11 Braille paper

  • Coordination with the General Services Department (GSD) for small internal embossing requests

  • Coordination with external vendors for larger, complex, or specialty items, such as signage, business cards, or non-standard formats

Both the Department on Disability and GSD use Duxbury Braille Translation software and Juliet embossers.

In-house embossing is intended for small requests only and is subject to staff availability, page limits, and advance notice. Quality assurance is limited, and staff supporting embossing are not fluent Braille readers.

Services That Require Vendor Support

Some requests cannot be fulfilled in house and require coordination with external vendors. These include:

• • Braille business cards and adhesive labels

  • Large-volume documents

  • Braille signage on metal, acrylic, or other specialty materials

  • Projects requiring higher-level Braille review, formatting expertise, or certification

For example, the Department on Disability has previously coordinated Braille business card labels through an external vendor that provided transcription, embossing, and production support. Turnaround times and costs vary depending on the size, format, and complexity of the request.

The General Services Department has confirmed it does not have capacity to produce Braille business cards and can only support very small quantities of standard paper embossing.

Best Practices

• • Always ask individuals what format works best for them

  • Accessible electronic files are often the fastest and most flexible option, as they can be used with multiple assistive technologies

  • Braille and tactile formats require additional production time, so confirm requests as early as possible

  • Share final, approved content to avoid rework or delays

Additional Resources

General Services Department (GSD) Braille Support

• • For Braille printing requests, departments are encouraged to first contact the General Services Department (GSD). GSD has limited in-house capacity to manage small Braille printing requests.

    • Contact: GSD Publication Team at gsd.pubdup@lacity.org 

  • For larger or more complex requests, or when additional production time is available, the Department on Disability can assist by coordinating with external vendors that specialize in Braille transcription, embossing, and binding.

City Clerk Alternative Format and Braille Requests

• • Alternative format and Braille agendas and documents related to City Clerk services are available upon request.

  • For City Council and Committee agendas, requests should be submitted with as much advance notice as possible, preferably at least two business days prior to the meeting.

    • Email: clerk.interpretation@lacity.org 

    • Phone: (213) 978-1133

  • Ask to speak with the Language Access Services Coordinator. 

Department on Disability 

• • To request document remediation services from the Department on Disability, visit: bit.ly/dod-remediation.

  • To request documents in other alternative formats, email: DOD-Remediation@lacity.org.