Students strolling through the library Monday weren’t only getting information from books.

Displays for the Deaf Awareness Week Information Fair, lining the main hallway of the Charles V. Park Library, provided information about audiology, listening devices, sign language, local programs and courses available at CMU.

Deaf Awareness Week began Monday with the fair, providing helpful information about the deaf community and events taking place.

Students in the department of communication disorders worked on the event.

“The students put a lot of work into this and they are doing a great job. We have a lot of volunteers,” said Susan Naeve-Velguth, event organizer.

“It’s a great beginning to the week. A lot of people are coming together. We are excited,” said Naeve-Velguth, assistant professor of communications disorders.

Students involved were glad to do their part for the cause.

“This is an important issue that needs to be addressed more than it is. This event is a great way to spread awareness,” said Tracy Coaster, Lake City junior.

Coaster, a communication disorders major, said volunteers were getting good reactions from people passing by and many students seemed interested in the information.

Representatives from the hearing-impaired community, such as Kendra Smith from Community Mental Health for Central Michigan, were on-hand to answer questions and talk to individuals.

Smith, who is hearing-impaired and a cochlea implant patient, spoke about her experiences following the PBS video documentary “The Sound and the Fury” Tuesday.

Sandra Rayner, clinical supervisor for the audiology department, said the interest in the fair proved that the goal of spreading information was accomplished.

“We are here to introduce people to Deaf Awareness Week in an effort to make people aware of the week and hopefully draw them to the events,” she said. “We’ve gone through hundreds of brochures magnets and candy. We picked a good location.”

Mount Pleasant resident Gwen Kellinher said she enjoyed the information provided and hoped to learn about resources in the area for the hearing-impaired.

“I’m excited they have this. There are not a lot of places for people to find out about this in Mount Pleasant,” she said.

Information was available for Sign Language courses at CMU, which are ASL 100: Introduction to the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture; ASL 101: American Sign Language Level I; ASL 102: American Sign Language II; ASL 201: American Sign Language III; and ASL 202: American Sign Language IV. The courses, piloted last semester, are designed similar to foreign language courses.

“Sign language is just like other foreign languages but hasn’t been around as much. This is good to see. This is a good start to the week,” said Curt Schneider, Portland junior.

Many attendants plan to return for events throughout the week, such as the “Silent Picnic” Wednesday afternoon and speaker Chris Hunter, Wednesday night.

E-mail the author: Erica GoffCentral Michigan Life