The Accessible Library- How to include people with disabilities?

Project initiatorProject initiator:The Norwegian Archive, Library andMuseum Authority

Project libraries: Project libraries: • Sarpsborg Library• Tønsberg and Nøtterøy Library• Deichmanske Library, Torshov Branch, Oslo

Presentation by:Presentation by: Advisers Aina Olsen (project manager) and Randi Røed Andersen Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, Delta CentreTønsberg and Nøtterøy Library

Access to the library building

• Accessibility guide

• Assessment

• Two examples of

barriers. Lack of:

– Information signpost

– Guide strips

• Local action plans

• Short check list

Sarpsborg Library

Deichmanske Library, Torshov Branch, Oslo

Access to the databases and the www

• Visually impaired: Braille display, CCTV, magnification software, speech synthesis, scanning software with OCR, braille printer

• Hearing impaired: Inductive loop systems

• Dyslectics: Speech synthesis and spell checker

• Physically handicapped: Adjustable desks

• People with muscular control problems: Ergonomic pointing devices

Accessible websites

• Web accessibility initiative

(WAI guidelines)

– usability for people with

disabilities

• Evaluation of the web

sites

• Written reports

• Measures to improve web

accessibility

DAISY – a more accessible talking book

• The DAISY standard –

acronym for Digital

Talking Book

• Easier to navigate

• Normally one book in

one CD-ROM

• Up to 50 hours of sound

• DAISY players to lend

out to library users

Information officers - ”a helping hand”

One of the information officers

• Jobs for people with a disability

• High qualification standard

• Individual workplace design

• Training and customer service course

• Task: • to assist the public• to market the new services • to maintain the technical devices

User involvement

Board with representatives from organisations of disabled people

Focus groups of local representatives: • identify user needs• give feed-back to The Accessibilty Guide• assess the library buildings

Resource groupe:• test the services

Information officers:• log the experiences

Goal: Usable and user-friendly services

Status and expected outcomes

• Commissional phase: Project termination October 2004

• New user groups in the libraries

• Useful and user-friendly services

• Job alternative for people with a disability

• Other libraries follow our example

• Towards more universal and inclusive design and main stream products • Change of focus; from handicap and disability to environmental barriers

• Decrease in discrimination of people with disabilities