This tip sheet has been developed to assist libraries with the Minimum Standards for Rhode Island Public Libraries.
Standard 7: The library makes its entire range of materials and services available to everyone, providing assistive technology, software, materials, staff assistance, and alternative access to library resources as needed.
Note: Assistive technology is any item or piece of equipment, which is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Standard 50: The library ensures access to its resources and services for individuals with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
General Tips
- Consider Universal Design: Plan facilities and services that are useable by the widest possible range of people, including people with disabilities.
- Consider All Disabilities: Blindness, low vision, hard-of-hearing, deafness, motor impairments (people who use wheelchairs or do not have full use of their hands or legs due to physical disability or arthritis, etc.), dyslexia, learning disabilities, speech disabilities, developmental disabilities, etc.
- Seek Input from Local Disability Groups and/or Patrons: There are a wide variety of disabilities; find out if you have local groups or individual patrons that have special needs and start by accommodating them.
Facilities & Programs
- Make library premises barrier-free. Provide obstacle-free and direct paths to all areas of the library, and make sure all areas and services of the library are accessible. Make reasonable accommodations for all needs, e.g., provide assistance for individuals who can’t reach top shelves, a pad and paper for a deaf person to ask questions, etc.
- Aisles between bookstacks should be 36” wide and free of obstacles. The ends of aisles should allow ample room to turn a wheelchair. Buildings that have not been renovated since 1990 may not meet all ADA regulations, but every effort should be made to provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
- Make sure at least one reading table is at wheelchair height, and label it as such.
- Provide large print versions of library information.
- Provide a list of assistive technology and special services available in your library for individuals with disabilities.
- Offer transcription or sign language interpreters for library events with advance notice. Publicize events to all groups in your community.
- Designate a staff member in the library to serve as a specialist in the area of services for individuals with disabilities.
- Include sensitivity training for all staff as a component of customer service training.
Computers
Designate one computer in the library as an accessible workstation and label it as such. To improve computer accessibility provide:
- A workstation that can easily be adjusted to different heights
- A mouse that can be used by left- or right-handed people
- A monitor at least 19” wide
- Screen Enlargement software
- Screen Reading software and a sound card or speech synthesizer
- Adaptive Keyboard (with large keys, a different alphabetic arrangement, etc.)
Materials
- Provide large print books and books on tape
- Purchase videos that are captioned (open or closed)
- Purchase descriptive videos (audio descriptions have been added for people with visual disabilities)
- Ask vendors if electronic materials (CD-ROMs, online databases, etc.) can be used by people who use text-based browsers and screenreaders
(OSL is accessible through the telnet interface)
- Make sure your Website meets World Wide Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines (test with Bobby, an online service that assesses the accessibility of Websites)
Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is any item or piece of equipment that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. It ranges from low tech items such as magnifying glasses to specialized high-tech items like screen readers. Assistive technology can be highly specialized for specific disabilities, or generalized to serve many. It is not possible or even desirable to produce a list of “required” technology, as needs differ between communities. Some items, however, are useful to a wide variety of library patrons, including people who would not consider themselves disabled:
- Magnifying glasses
- Pocket talkers (amplifies sound for people who are hard of hearing)
- Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) for enlargement of printed materials
- Talking calculator
Resources
Local
- Disability Resources in Rhode Island
http://www.olis.ri.gov/tbp/disablres.php
List of organizations, social service agencies, etc.
- Talking Books Plus, (401)574-9310
http://www.olis.ri.gov/tbp/
RI Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Books on tape, large print, and Braille reading materials. Free service for qualifying individuals.
- TechACCESS of Rhode Island, (401)463-0202
http://www.techaccess-ri.org/
Information and referral services regarding assistive technology.
National
- Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library (ASCLA) Issues (ALA)
http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/issues.htm
Includes sections on ADA and an extensive section on Equity of Access, including assistive technology and web design.
- Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy (ASCLA, ALA)
http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices.htm
- Roads to Learning: The Public Libraries’ Learning Disabilities Initiative (ALA)
http://www.ala.org/ala/olos/outreachresource/roadstolearning/roadslearninglearning.htm
- Universal Design (ASCLA, ALA)
http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/universaldesign.htm
Principles of universal design.
- Watchfire WebXact: Website Accessibility Tool (formerly called Bobby)
http://webxact.watchfire.com/
Online tool that analyzes Web pages for accessibility to people with disabilities.
For more information contact:
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