South Carolinian Public Libraries' ADA Accommodations to Persons with Disabilities

A Review of: Maatta Smith, S. L. (2014). Web Accessibility Assessment of Urban Public Library Websites. Public Library Quarterly, 33(3), 187-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2014.937207 Abstract Objective – To determine the extent to which urban public libraries in the United States of America provide web sites which are readily accessible to individuals with disabilities with reference to the Urban Library Council’s EDGE initiative (specifically Benchmark 11, “Technology Inclusiveness”). Design – Web site evaluation. Setting – Urban public libraries in the United States of America. Subjects – The 127 library systems, which were both members of the Urban Libraries Council at the time of the study and located in the United States of America. Methods – Using the “everyday life information seeking” conceptual framework, an assessment of each of the web sites of the purposive sample of public library systems was performed by an online evaluation tool as well as visually and physically to determine web accessibility and, by extension, technology inclusiveness. Main Results – The results of the online accessibility evaluation tool revealed that not one of the sites surveyed was free of errors or alerts. Contrast errors (related to color combinations), missing alternative text (providing text alternatives for visual elements), and missing form labels (thereby preventing screen readers from performing searches and navigating to results) were the most common problems. Results of visual and physical scans revealed that many sites lacked specific links and/or resources for persons with disabilities, as well as noting that the resources available used oblique language and required many clicks to access. In addition, the vast majority neglected to feature links to national resources such as the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Conclusions – The web sites of urban public libraries are not yet completely accessible for persons with disabilities. At the very least they need coding fixes and ongoing maintenance to address the kinds of issues found by the online web evaluation tool used. In addition, resources for disabled persons should be prominently and clearly linked and promoted. Further research is called for, both in non-urban library systems and in testing a wider range of access technologies. Improvement efforts should acknowledge that web design that improves access for persons with disabilities serves the broader community as well.

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Volunteering in libraries: survey on Romanian public libraries

Revista Română de Biblioteconomie și Știința Informării = Romanian Journal of Library and Information Science ◽

10.26660/rrbsi.2020.16.2.12 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 12-19

Author(s):

Mihai Constantinescu ◽

Alina Danciu ◽

Dana Haimana

Keyword(s):

Public Libraries ◽

Volunteer Work ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Language Courses ◽

Volunteer Programs ◽

National Libraries ◽

Computer Courses

Libraries are a natural hotspot for volunteer work, they can act as both beneficiaries and organizers of volunteers and their work. Volunteer programs in the libraries cover an important range of possibilities, from basic library work (moving books, assisting users that need help) to specialized activities (language courses, computer courses, specialized activities with persons with disabilities) and everything in between. This study aims to offer an overview of the situation regarding volunteer work in Romanian public libraries. It seeks to find out whether and how the county libraries and the two national libraries use volunteers.

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Ontario Public Libraries, Accessibility, and Justice: A Capability Approach

Proceedings of the Annual Conference of CAIS / Actes du congrès annuel de l'ACSI ◽

10.29173/cais568 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Heather Hill

Keyword(s):

Canadian Journal ◽

Capability Approach ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Library Science ◽

Full Paper ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Personnes Handicapées

As public libraries are often considered levellers for the community, how are they addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in Ontario? This presentation details research on accessibility to persons with disabilities in Ontario public libraries through a capability perspective in light of the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.Les bibliothèques publiques servent souvent d’indicateur communautaire. Comment répondent-elles donc aux besoins des personnes handicapées en Ontario? Cette communication présente une recherche sur l’accessibilité dans les bibliothèques publiques de la province dans l’optique de la capacité en vertu de la Loi sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario. ***Full paper in the Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science***

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The Quality of Service Provision by Special Libraries for the Visually Challenged in Regional Scale

Logos et Praxis ◽

10.15688/lp.jvolsu.2018.3.12 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 109-117

Author(s):

Tatyana Andriyanova

Keyword(s):

Service Provision ◽

Social Inclusion ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Quality Of Services ◽

Cultural Institutions ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Visually Challenged

The study deals with the regional scale of the quality of services provided by special libraries for the visually challenged. Satisfaction with the quality of services provided by special institutions for persons with disabilities, as exemplified by the libraries for the visually challenged, helps to understand and identify current barriers. These barriers include physical ones of the infrastructure of cultural institutions, and other types – financial, social, educational, negatively affecting the quality of services. In the context of this issue the author considers it necessary to address the legal component of the service provision to persons with disabilities by cultural institutions. The main documents starting with the Declaration of human rights (1948) emphasize the need to create a type of social inclusion of persons with disabilities in every society and that would allow them to fully realize their civil rights. In practice, every person with disabilities encounters obstacles along the way. This also applies to special libraries for the visually challenged, who having sufficient experience in this field, can only become a division of public libraries. New Model standard of public libraries charges them to serve visually challenged users. This, in turn, can have a negative impact on the quality of services provided, as public libraries do not have appropriate capabilities, technical and human resources. The relevance of measuring the quality of services of special libraries for the visually challenged is due to their high importance as a social institution with universal opportunities to meet the basic needs of the visually impaired. The results of the study suggest a high satisfaction of visitors of special libraries for the visually challenged with the quality of services, which is one of the main criteria in assessing the work of cultural institutions of this type. Reaching the conclusions on the basis of the above-stated the author points out the need to improve the methodology for measuring the quality of services provided by special libraries for the visually challenged and the possibility for further study of this issue.

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Shared Responsibilities for Full Participation in Society: Planning Further Integration of the ICF Into AAC

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp1.sig12.83 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (12) ◽

pp. 83-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mary Blake Huer ◽

Travis T. Threats

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Functional Limitations ◽

Community Support ◽

World Health ◽

International Classification Of Functioning ◽

Personal Factors ◽

Social Service Agencies ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Full Participation

The World Health Organization's (WHO's) 2001 International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) has as one of its central tenets the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in society. It acknowledges the need for medical and rehabilitation intervention in its biopscychosocial framework. However, the WHO realizes that society must do its part to facilitate this full participation and empowerment. Persons with complex communication needs (PWCCN) often need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in order to express themselves. However, in order to access and successfully use AAC, PWCCN need access to the necessary AAC devices and services, as well as a willing society to interact with them as full contributing members of society. The factors outside of a person's specific physical and/or cognitive functional limitations are addressed in the ICF via the Personal and Environmental Factors. Personal Factors include the individual's personality traits, lifestyle, experiences, social/educational/professional background, race, gender, and age. Environmental Factors include community support systems, social service agencies, governments, social networks, and those persons that interact with the PWCCN. This article addresses the sociopolitical influences on PWCCN and their functioning from a human rights perspective. The necessary introspective role of speech-language pathologists in this process is explored.

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