A special portable device designed for retrieving concise library resource descriptions by the user is presented in this article. The device reads a bar code attached to the back of the resource and searches for the corresponding information stored in a nonvolatile, rewritable memory. The information retrieved by the device can also be used in the loaning process. Resource descriptions can be simultaneously visual and dictated through a speech synthesizer, constituting a valuable tool for individuals with special needs, including the deaf and blind.