Is your library accessible to people who face more than the typical barriers to using it? Find out in with this quick quiz!
Add one point for each of these:
1. A wheelchair-accessible computer station
2. A way to get into the restrooms that doesn't require manually opening a door
3. Large print materials that are distinguished physically in any way (a separate section, with stickers, whatever)
4. Text-to-speech software of any kind on public computers
5. A website that has any of the following features: alt-text over images, text in a language other than English, the awareness that color blind people exist
Subtract one point for each of these:
1. Any piece of assistive technology (large print keyboard, trackball mouse, magnifying glass, etc.) that is kept behind the desk and not advertised anywhere
2. Any non-English materials that are labelled only in English
3. Any policy or sign using the words/phrases "disabled," "wheelchair-bound" or "the handicapped"
4. A "No dogs in the library" sign
5. No provisions for people who cannot travel to the library to access library materials
Scoring:
Three to five: Congratulations! Your library is actually doing okay!
Negative two to two: Your library is average, but "average" as in "only as bad as a typical library," not as in "okay."
Negative five to negative three: Do you work with me?
What do you think, readers? Anything you would add to make the five-minute version?
subtract one for a ref desk with a desk that has a raised counter so that people using wheelchairs can barely see the ref librarian
ReplyDelete-2, bad. Plus shelves in stacks are too close together for wheelchairs.
ReplyDeleteFail, fail, fail.
ReplyDelete