A CHECKLIST DEVELOPED BY THE INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM COMMITTEE FOR THE OHIO LIBRARY COUNCIL

THE ACCESSIBILITY TEMPERATURE OF YOUR

LIBRARY

Presented by Susan CorlHead of Reference and Collection ServicesHolmes County District Public Library

ACCESSIBILITY IS ABOUT MORE THAN A RAMP, IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM!

Accessibility

HOW MANY THINGS IN YOUR BUILDING SAY “NO?”

Think About Your Library

WHAT TYPES OF BARRIERS ARE YOU

UNKNOWINGLY PUTTING IN THE WAY OF THE

PATRONS?

Think About Your Library

Physical Accessibility

Provide a comforting and welcoming place to visit

Suggestions for Physical Comfort Level

Staff at entrance to welcome and direct patrons

Staff should be easy to recognize

Make sure the library is safe and welcoming

Meeting Rooms

Open to religious or political groups

Libraries should not exclude any group based on subject matter or group beliefs

Library Bill of Rights helps when reviewing policies

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948.Amended February 2, 1961; June 28, 1967; and January 23, 1980,inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996,by the ALA Council.

Pamphlet Display Area

Review signage

Lighten dark corners

Make it easier for patrons to find items on their own

Free Literature/ Petition Distribution

Develop and review policies for posting and distributing free material or petitions

Designate a space for free materials near heavily traveled areas

The Meeting Room

Post policies in a visible place

Suggestions for Meeting Room Policies

Contain time, place, manner of use Make sure your language is inclusive Follow Library Bill of Rights May place a notice that the library does not advocate or

endorse the viewpoints of meetings or meeting room users May restrict to library related events (be careful of language) May limit frequency of use, public vs. private If open to the public, address fees. (Do not limit access to

individuals unable to pay.) Have a room reservation form for signatures agreeing to

policy

The Display Board

Make sure staff is familiar with the policies and where they are located

And Exhibit Spaces

Sample policies are available on the OLC website at

http://olc.org/policies.asp

Suggestions for Display and Exhibit Policies

Make sure to have a written policy Make sure you provide the space on an equitable

basisUse inclusive languageMay limit to library related activities or groups

within the community (must apply to everyone)May post a disclaimerMay develop criteria for materials postedMay define and restrict appropriately

Think About Your Library

Do you have policies for the meeting room and display areas?

Do you and the rest of the staff know where they are located?

Do you have a process for complaints about displays or exhibits?

Staff Training

Physical Access

Accessibility = “individuals with disabilities should be able to use and access all the same services and materials in the library as their non-disabled peers, either through alternate means or with assistance.”(source: ALA website, Accessibility Basics for Librarians)

Equitable access to library facilities and services is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy

http://tinyurl.com/yj7ghtf

Facilities

Services

Collections

Tips for Staff

Offer patrons the option to sit at the front during activities

Allow time to process the information that you are presenting (on phone and in library) Count to 7

Be precise in word choice. Reword statements rather than repeating.

Have pencil and paper available for taking notes.

Speak clearly and directly to the patron

Suggestions for Technology Access

1.Screen Readerswww.afb.org

2.Cntrl + or –

3.Microsoft accessibility tips

4.Microsoft Ten Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing

Intellectual Accessibility

Give the patron ready access to information without prejudicial regard to language, ideas, content, or beliefs

Does your library censor materials?

Examples of censorship Removing, hiding or not

selecting controversial materials

Not purchasing political or religious materials

Not purchasing materials with reasoning that is doesn’t fit into curriculum or community

Privacy

Notify patrons about materials without disclosing the nature of the material

Access to Internet

Only parents and legal guardians can restrict children’s access

Make sure patrons are aware of Internet policies and rules

Search the Internet with assurance of privacy

Remove computer activity and destroy logs

Cultural Accessibility

Know your community and be aware of the information needs of the community. Do not let cultural differences become a barrier to information.

Know your community

Surveys or focus groups

http://tinyurl.com/2735vmc

Any cultural changesMeet community

needsMonitor services to

make sure they are in line with the mission

Cultural Barriers

Provide a comforting and welcoming place to visit for all people in the community.

Know the cultural expectations of all members of your community such as the acceptability of eye-contact, hand-shakes, or physical contact of any kind.

Economic Barriers

Whenever possible, all services should be without fees.

The American Library Association opposes the charging of user fees for the provision of information by all libraries and information services that receive their major support from public funds.

Accessibility ChecklistComfort Level YES NO1.Is the atmosphere welcoming? ___ ___4.Are all people of the community comfortablecoming to the library? ___ ___6.Do they feel welcome? ___ ___7.Can you identify staff? ___ ___8.Do the library staff wear ID? ___ ___9.Are they easy to tell apart from the patrons? ___ ___10.Do the patrons feel safe? ___ ___11.Is the parking lot well lit? ___ ___12.Are all patrons respectful of each other? ___ ___13.Is security available and visible? ___ ___14.Is there a safe place to lock up a bicycle? ___ ___

Accessibility17.Is the exterior signage welcoming? ___ ___18.Is the library building easy to identify? ___ ___19.Are the signs informative? ___ ___20.Are there enough signs to be informative but not too many? ___ ___21.Are the signs easy to read? ___ ___22.Is the signage free of library-specific jargon? ___

___23.Is there free program and community information and literature available? ___ ___

YES NO2.Are the corners well lit? ___ ___3.Is it easy to see the books/call-numbers/signs? ___ ___4.Does the library provide universal or family restrooms with baby changing stations? ___ ___6.Are meeting rooms open to all members of the community? ___ ___7.Is there an area of the library where literature can be distributed for free? Or information posted publicly? ___ ___9.Is petitioning permitted in appropriate areas? ___ ___

Censorship and Controversial Materials12.Is your library free from self censorship? ___ ___13.Is the collection well-rounded? ___ ___14.Is the collection comprehensively developed andwell-balanced in a range or variety of ideas? ___ ___16.Are controversial materials purchased for the collection? ___ ___17.Are controversial materials displayed for the public to recognize? ___ ___18.Are controversial materials located with the regularcollection ? ___ ___

Privacy22.If a call is made to the patron’s house, is the patron’s privacy ___ ___respected by not divulging the title and specific information?2.Does the library ensure that when a book arrives for the patron that there is complete privacy? ___ ___

YES NO2.Are privacy screens used on the public computers? ___ ___3.Are technical ghosts such as cookies, cache, orInternet history files deleted from the computers after use? ___ ___5.Is the patron computer use kept anonymous and protected? ___ ___6.Are all patron computer records destroyed after use? ___ ___

Access to Information9.Can the databases be accessed without a library card? ___ ___10.If a library card is required, are guest cards available? ___ ___11.Can a person without an address, such as a homeless person,get a library card? ___ ___13.Can the databases be accessed from home? ___ ___14.Are minors permitted to use any library resources? ___ ___15.Are computers free of filters? ___ ___

Cultural Accessibility18.Do the exhibits represent the community the library supports? ___ ___19.Do the photos and exhibits show people of many cultures and backgrounds? ___ ___20.Do the marketing and PR photos represent those in your community? ___ ___21.Are the phones answered so that the caller knows he/she has reachedthe correct party? ___ ___

YES NO2.Does the staff understand the cultural “dos and don’ts “ forthose different cultures? ___ ___4.Does the community speak the same language as the library staff? ___ ___5.Is the common vernacular used instead of library jargon? ___ ___6.Are foreign language or ESL materials available? ___ ___7.Are resources easily accessible to the visual or hearing impaired communities? ___ ___9.Does your collection represent the current culture of your community? ___ ___10.Has your community changed in the past few years? ___ ___11.Does your library provide training for staff development andstaff sensitivity? ___ ___

Fines and Fees15.Does your library provide non-print materials free of charge? ___ ___16.Does your library provide print-outs free of charge? ___ ___

TalliesNumber of talliesComfort Level YES___ NO___Accessibility YES___ NO___Censorship and

Controversial Materials YES___ NO___Privacy YES___ NO___Access to Information YES___ NO___Cultural Accessibility YES___ NO___Fines and Fees YES___ NO___

Goals

Choose the section with the highest number of no responses to focus your attention first

For More Information

To Access the Take the Accessibility Temperature of Your Library checklist go tohttp://olc.org/pdf/IFAccessibilityTemperatureTool.pdf

For more information about making your library more accessible to patrons, contact the Intellectual Freedom Committee at OLC.http://olc.org/IntellectualFreedom.asphttp://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/index.cfm

OLC Intellectual Freedom Committee on Twitterhttp://twitter.com/olcif