This blog post explores six common web accessibility myths and implications for online library services and programs. Stay tuned for even more information and resources to help you serve diverse children and families in the forthcoming ALSC Virtual Storytime Services Guide! Myth #1: People with disabilities don’t use the internet or interact with my library online. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 U.S. adults experiences disability. The CDC estimates that about one in six children between 3 and 17 years of age have one or more developmental disabilities. There is no library community (or library staff) without disabilities! If individuals with disabilities aren’t interacting with us online, it’s not because they don’t want to – it’s because we’ve made our web content and virtual services inaccessible. Myth #2: It’s not really that important to make youth library programs accessible. Most people with disabilities…
Tag: accessibility
Assistive Technologies: Spotlight on Utah State Library for the Blind and Disabled
The Utah State Library for the Blind and Disabled provides materials found in public libraries in formats accessible to the blind and disabled. Services are provided by the Utah State Library Division in cooperation with the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Since its fledgling beginnings, the Utah State Library’s Program for the Blind and Disabled has expanded to serve patrons in Utah, Wyoming and Alaska, and also provides braille to people in 23 states nationwide. Today Lisa Nelson provides us with information and insights on this special-format library from her experience of working for the Blind Library Program at the Utah State Library for over 17 years, and as the program manager for 9 years. What is your library’s role within the disability community? The library’s role is to provide informational and leisure reading materials in a format that is accessible to people…
Assistive Technologies: Spotlight on DC Public Library Center for Accessibility
I spoke to Patrick James of the Center for Accessibility, part of the DC Public Library (DCPL), for this final post in our series highlighting best practices in assistive technology. What is your library’s role within the disability community? DC has a strong disability community. Gallaudet University, a federally chartered private university for the Deaf, and the American Federation of the Blind, for which Helen Keller was an ambassador, are centered in or around DC. Since all of DC is federal land, not a state, the federal government influences the library. The DCPL Center for Accessibility’s manager is part of the Office of Disability Rights, part of the federal government. The Center houses the DC Talking Book and Braille Library, part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. The Center has three librarians: a librarian for the Deaf community, a librarian for the blind community, and…
Assistive Technologies: Spotlight On Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled
For the second post in our series highlighting best practices in assistive technology, we’re focusing on the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (OLBPD). OLBPD partners with the State Library of Ohio Talking Book Program to serve as a Regional Library for the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress. Through this partnership, eligible Ohio borrowers may receive braille and audio materials via postage-free mail. Their collection includes audio and Braille books and magazines, described DVDs and Blu-Rays, and Playaway pre-loaded digital products. Today’s interview is with Will Reed, OLBPD Manager, who shares more information about OLBPD’s resources and community impacts. What is your library’s role within the disability community? Will Reed: OLBPD serves as the regional library for the State of Ohio as part of the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Print Disabled, providing free audio and braille library materials…
Assistive Technologies: Spotlight On Carrie Banks
To kick things off for our series highlighting best practices in assistive technology, we reached out to a few specialists in the field. Carrie Banks has been the Supervising Librarian for Inclusive Services at Brooklyn Public Library in New York since 1997. She’s taught Including Youth with Disabilities at Pratt Institute (2013-2015) and is active in ALSC as well as ASGCLA where she is serving as the president elect. In 2014, she substantially revised Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How to Do It Manual for Librarians. She also published Libraries and Garden: Growing Together, written with Cynthia Mediavilla in the Spring of 2019. What recommendations do you have for libraries hoping to add or expand assistive technologies? Work with the individuals you hope to serve, their families and the agencies that work with them to determine what is needed and what would work. This will also help…
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
“Access to technology is a critical component for success …. Children who can access information via technology are at an advantage, and can better succeed in school. For kids with disabilities, the need for technology is even greater. Computers with appropriate technology can level the playing field, allowing kids with disabilities to compete fairly with their non-disabled peers.” Center for Accessible Technology https://www.cforat.org/