INSIGHT ‘‘ T
Libraries face challenges in becoming fully accessible. These challenges can include limited budgets for adaptive technologies and a lack of physical space to accommodate all needs.
Morag Clarkson is Co-Chair of the CILIP Disability Network.
Helen Alper is Secretary of the CILIP Disability Network.
The CILIP Future Libraries report, Come Rain or Shine: Preparing Public Libraries for the Future in an Age of Uncertainty, is an insightful initiative aimed at helping public libraries navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future.
HE Future Libraries Report, developed by CILIP in collaboration with Libraries Connected, the British Library, and
Shared Intelligence, and funded by Arts Council England, provides a strategic analysis of potential future scenarios and their impact on libraries.
It aims to make public libraries more resilient and adaptable to future challenges, including those related to disability. The initiative encourages libraries to consider the diverse needs of their communities, ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, has equal access to library services. The report considers the following:
Physical Accessibility
l Accessible Buildings: Libraries are ensuring that their buildings are wheelchair accessible, with ramps, wide doorways, and accessible restrooms;
l Adaptive Furniture: Providing adjustable desks and chairs to accommodate different needs.
Assistive Technologies
l Screen Readers and Magnifiers: Offering software and devices that help visually impaired users read digital content;
l Hearing Loops: Installing systems to improve sound quality for individuals with hearing aids.
Programs and Resources
l Inclusive Programs: Organising activities and events that cater to the needs of people with disabilities, such as sign language classes, sensory storytimes, and book clubs for the visually impaired;
l Special Collections: Curating collections of large-print books, audiobooks, and other resources tailored to different disabilities.
Spring 2025 Staff Training and Awareness
l Disability Awareness Training: Ensuring that library staff are trained to understand and accommodate the needs of patrons with disabilities;
l User Feedback: Regularly seeking feedback from disabled users to improve services and accessibility.
Community Partnerships
l Collaboration with Organisations: Partnering with local disability organisations to better understand and address the needs of the community;
l Advocacy and Support: Actively advocating for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of library services.
We were curious to know what types of adaptations LISs are currently investing in to ensure that all disabilities are supported rather than inadvertently excluding some members of the disabled community. For example, should libraries concentrate efforts on staff or patrons; visible or invisible disabilities; physical or mental disabilities? Are there conflicts to consider? Ensuring that library materials are available in a variety of formats for people with vision impairments, having books in braille, large print, or audio formats can make a significant difference but this costs money. Similarly, offering captioned videos and providing sign language interpreters for library events can increase inclusivity, but also uses financial resources.
Much as we would like to support all these groups, many LISs will not have the funds to do this and will potentially need to prioritise one group over another. The Disability Network is keen to hear your views. We would like you to email us at
info.disability@cilip.org.uk and provide a brief overview of:
1. How you prioritise support.
2. Do you have dedicated funds for this? If not, how do you meet the costs?
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 59
3. If you were given money to support disabilities, where would you invest it?
What we are investigating at our Trust is a sharing and loaning service for accessible equipment. We would love to know if your organisation does something similar.
Libraries face challenges in becoming fully accessible. These challenges can include limited budgets for adaptive technologies and a lack of physical space to accommodate all needs.
We wonder what it would look like, in an ideal world, if we were able to borrow and lend accessible equipment between libraries, much as we do with interlibrary loan schemes for books.
Could we improve our environment for disabled patrons and staff at a lower cost than doing this individually? It’s a lofty ambition and of course there would be many and varied barriers: financial rules, ownership of the items, equipment being bespoke. We know of charities that recycle and repurpose IT equipment for loan. Perhaps larger organisations or local authority boroughs could work in this way?
Do you have any insights or comments about the discussions in this article? We would love to hear from you. We will share the responses in a future article. IP
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