By Christina L. Golm
People with disabilities have a difficult time accessing library services. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 37 million disabled in 2004, making persons with disabilities the third largest minority group in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 1). Even this number is flawed, as a large number of people with disabilities classified as “mild” to “moderate” or “temporary” cannot access library services easily and are not counted in the census. For example, "the Baby Boomer generation (born 1945-1964) is turning 65 at a rate of 8,000 people per day" (Bonnici, 2011, para. 1). Disability frequency rises strongly with age (World, 34). Considering the volume of disabled citizens, the money spent on facilities is inadequate. Mates (2011) quotes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that there are laws to help protect people with disabilities such as Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA in 1990 (p. 12). Bonnici, Maatta, and Wells (2009) states that The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS/BPH) is making great strides to help the disabled with audio books, but much more help is needed for those who are overlooked by the system because they do not qualify as disabled (p. 521).
With the cost of technology going down, there is much that can be done to make library services accessible to all. For example, it does not cost the library additional funding to modify the settings on the computer that the library and/or user already own. This allows the application of technology upgrades, which not only help people with disabilities but everyone that uses them.
Multiculturalism and diversity needs to be considered when applying library sciences. There can be a gradual progression to making library services accessible to those with disabilities, and it will help everyone, as it is the law.
References
American Library Association (2011). ALA Policy Manual. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/60diversity.cfm/
Bonnici, L., Maatta, S., & Wells, M. (2009). US national accessibility survey: Librarians
serving patrons with disabilities. New Library World, 110(11/12); 512-528. doi:10.1108/03074800911007532
Bonnici, L., Maatta., Brodsky, J., & Davis, L. (2011). ALFA: Accessible Libraries For
All. Retrieved from http://projectalfa.slis.ua.edu/
Mates, B. (2011). Assistive technologies in the library. Chicago, IL: American Library
Association. Retrieved from http://www.alastore.ala.org/pdf/9780838910702_excerpt.pdf
Mackelprang, R., & Salsgiver, R. (2009). Disability: A Diversity Model Approach in
Human Service Practice. Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
The U.S. Census Bureau (2007). American FactFinder. Retrieved September 20, 2011,
from http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_S1801&-geo_id=01000US&-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_/
World Health Organization (2004). Global Burden of Disease. Retrieved from
www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_part3.pdf
www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_part3.pdf
The minor disabilities and temporary disabilities are just as important, as you stated. Libraries bring some sense of normalcy to people's lives and can help them heal faster. Little things like magnifying glasses, earphones and the like don't cost much and can assist even those who don't have problems. Good points brought up, Christina.
ReplyDeleteYes, Riva, another good example of how helping people with minor to major disabilities helps everyone are ramps in the sidewalk. These ramps are used not only for those who use wheelchairs, but also businessmen rolling suitcases, parents with baby strollers, children on skateboards, and the list continues.
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