Notes From the Chair
by
Sharon Charette

This issue of TechACCESSory is about libraries and accessibility. These days, there are many forms of accessibility that can be applied to libraries. Not too long ago, accessibility might have been simply that entrances, shelves, water fountains, counters, telephones, and other amenities were within reach and that doors and passageways were made sufficiently wide for a person with a wheelchair to negotiate.

Twenty years ago when I was a library school student at the University of Rhode Island, I collaborated with June Schlessinger to conduct a "Survey of Public Library Access for the Handicapped" that was published in the May 1981 issue of the Rhode Island Library Association Bulletin. In addition to questions about physical accessibility, we also included questions about whether or not libraries had assistive technology devices such as automatic page turners, Kurzweil machines, and TTY machines. Not surprisingly, only one library had a TTY machine in place. Though I don’t know exactly how public libraries would respond to those questions today, my guess is that there are many more libraries that have assistive technology devices and certainly all of them have addressed ADA requirements concerning physical accessibility.

One fairly recent and very beneficial development for library users of all abilities is that many libraries now have an online presence that helps to bring information to people in their own homes. These online developments have many benefits for people with disabilities. First, a virtual library allows everyone to "get into" a library without having to leave home or office. Second, it allows people who have computers equipped with assistive technology (such as a screen reader) immediate access to the same information as all library users.

Finally, there is a movement among some web designers to ensure universal access and consistent design principles for information on the Web. The Center for Applied Special Technology (http://www.cast.org) and the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C (http://www.w3.org) have published guidelines for website accessibility. The Center for Applied Special Technology also has an online program called "Bobby" that will assess a website’s accessibility for someone who uses a screen reader or who has a learning disability.

New worlds of information are opening up everywhere and are available at any time for everyone with – and without – a disability.

TechACCESS of RI
Phone: 401-463-0202 (v/tdd)
FAX: 401-463-3433
In-State: 800-916-(TECH)8324
Contact: TechACCESS of RI | techaccess@techaccess-ri.org|

Last Revised: February 18, 2002