Indiana Vision Expo

In April 2006, the Indiana State Library hosted its inaugural Indiana Vision Expo for persons with vision loss, their friends and families, service providers, educators, health care professionals, librarians, and other consumers interested in products and services designed to promote independent living. That first year, fifteen vendors exhibited and sold a variety of products from computer software and magnifiers to games and kitchen gadgets, and promoted services available to people with visual impairments.

The Indiana Vision Expo has been more successful than anticipated. In its first year, over 500 people attended, and the vendors reported that this was the busiest Indiana-based trade show they ever worked. This innaugural evant laid the groundwork for a larger Expo in 2007 with over 600 attendees and 20 vendors. The Expo now welcomes over 30 vendors and over 650 attendees annually making it the largest low-vision tradeshow in the Midwest.

The Indiana State Library looks forward to another year of growth and success in 2010. The 2010 Expo will include even more products and service information, and several new features designed to enhance the experience for attendees.