Introduction to Accessibility in Academic Libraries
This page includes information and resources for library workers who are interested in increasing the accessibility of library resources for students with disabilities and providing support for library workers with disabilities. Different strategies for making libraries more accessible are detailed below, along with relevant resources relating to those strategies. While each one of these methods can help improve the experience of diversely-abled students in the library, a mix of all these methods and more need to actively practiced by library workers to create a truly accessible environment.
Why Accessibility Matters
According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ 2008 Digest of Education Statistics, table 231, around 11% of undergraduate and 7% of graduate students reported having a disability. Compare this to the National Center for Education Statistics’ 2018 Digest of Education Statistics, around 19% of undergraduate students and 12% of post baccalaureate students reported they have a disability, a consequential increase. This means that around one out of every five students on a college campus is directly affected by the accessibility, or lack thereof, of their university’s library resources. More individuals with diverse abilities are going to college and more college students are being diagnosed with disabilities. Along with this change in student population, a change in library services and specialties must follow. This section of the Accessibility in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) LibGuide focuses on theories, strategies, and technologies that can make academic libraries more accessible to both students and faculty with disabilities.
Academic Library Workers with Disabilities
It is established that academic library workers need to make sure that their services are accessible to students and faculty, however, there should also be attention given to making sure that the library working environment is accessible and inclusive as well. In a survey of library workers with disabilities, it was revealed that only half of the participants disclosed their disability to their supervisors, and only 30% had done so to their coworkers. The survey also found that many library workers were hesitant about requesting accommodations because they fear negative consequences.
This shouldn't be that surprising since disability is left out of professional programs and discussions on diversity, and there are no disability-related interest groups within major American library organizations. While there are some studies available on patrons or students with disabilities, there are only a handful of papers on library workers with disabilities. This is an area that desperately needs to progress, so that library workers with disability workers can have their experiences of inequity and discrimination validated and taken seriously by library administration.
Below are the only articles I could find on library workers with disabilities.
- Disability and Equity: Librarians with Disabilities Face Barriers to Accessibility and InclusionThis article from Joanne Oud in American Libraries Magazine discusses the results of Oud's survey of 288 librarians, 10 of which had disabilities.
- Systematic Workplace Barriers for Academic Librarians with DisabilitiesThis qualitative study by Joanne Oud focuses on interviews with ten academic librarians with disabilities in Canada. It details some of the barriers that library workers with disabilities face in their workplace environment and culture.
- Voices of Strength: A Survey of Librarians Working with Chronic Illnesses or ConditionsThis paper by Susan Rathbun-Grubb details the challenges faced by librarians with chronic illnesses or conditions, including career mobility and advancement, disclosure, and perceptions of disability.
Universal Technology
Assistive/Adaptive Technologies (closed captioning, voice recognition software, electronic readers, etc.) are used by many students with disabilities. Kenning Arlitsch, Dean of the Library at Montana State University, in his article, My User is a Machine: Making Information Accessible to Disabled Users by Structuring for Machine Intermediaries, argues that the most effective way to meet the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities is to think “of machines as our primary audience”. because “assistive technologies work best when they recognize the distinctive parts of a document: title, subtitle, header, section, chapter, etc." HTML tags, for example, organize the different areas of a webpage this way, and different tags, like the “alt” tag, which allows web developers to include a description of an image in their code, can directly help users with disabilities navigate web pages. Arlitsch goes on to explain that word processing and presentation software styles “generate, at the click of a button, machine readable codes… [which] helps render documents that are accessible to machines, and therefore to disabled humans through their assistive technologies." Due to this, the digitization of collections means that the content can be displayed in different forms easily, such as braille, large print, dyslexia-friendly typefaces, and audio, which can help meet the accessibility needs of students with disabilities. Below are some resources that can help with implementing assistive technologies in universities.
- What is Assistive Technology?This resource by the Assistive Technology Industry Association, a not-for profit organization for providers of assistive technologies, explains the breadth of different assistive technologies available.
- 5 Assistive Technology Tools That Are Making a DifferenceThis resource from Alvernia University provides information on five of the most used assistive technologies used by colleges and universities. In certain higher education institutions, the library manages many of these tools.
- Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities: What To Do When Funding is Limited?One of the major barriers for increasing accessibility in educational institutions is the lack of funding available for such projects. Assistive technology can be expensive to implement, leading to smaller and less-funded colleges being unable to provide much needed services. This resource from the Center on Technology and Disability provides alternative methods of funding, as well as low-cost purchasing options.
Feedback from Students with Disabilities
There is much to be gained from direct feedback from library users who have disabilities or handicaps. Recently librarians Amealia Brunskill and JJ Pionke have separately gathered feedback from diversely-abled individuals about library services and programs. Pionke’s interviews uncovered many areas that need to be improved in order to increase the accessibility of libraries, including signage, cleanliness, and privacy. However, she concludes that “incorporating a greater degree of empathy, empowerment, and universal design into how we think about not only patrons, but also services, training, and buildings, will go a long way to making libraries truly accessible for all." Similarly, Brunskill’s interviews about academic library web pages revealed that students with disabilities desire effective and honest communication with librarians, and that a “library’s accessibility webpage has the potential to empower students who have a disability by providing them with clear, easily located answers to their questions and highlighting the resources and services that the library has for them." Both interviews mentioned that their interviewees expressed the need for better training of library employees in the area of communicating and serving students with disabilities. Interviews like these are vital to improving library accessibility because diversely-abled students provide knowledge about the accessibility of library services that neurotypical library workers won't be able to notice.
- Guidelines for Interviewing People with DisabilitiesThere are many intricacies regarding the appropriate language and etiquette that should be used when speaking to diversely-abled people. This resource from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) provides a framework for how best to approach interviews with diversely-abled people to help support them in their experiences.
- Conscious Style Guide for Ability + DisabilityThis guide provides an updated list of resources on appropriate ways to refer to and write about diversely-abled people, and specific terms that are useful when talking about disability, like neurodivergent and the social model.
- Nothing About Us Without Us'Nothing About Us Without Us' is a phrase popularized by the disability civil rights movement that communicates the necessity of neurodivergent people in decision making processes. This article from the New York Times details overviews the importance of the phrase and provides an in-depth history of the disability civil rights movement.
Outreach Materials
There is still a general lack of awareness about what counts as a disability among the general public. The use of outreach materials by libraries can teach more people about disabilities issues, while also informing students of the services that may be available to them.
- Accessibility on Campus
Here is a free to use infographic about accessibility and diverse disabilities made for college libraries.
- AAHD's Disability Outreach ResourcesThe American Association on Health and Disability's (AAHD) Outreach Resources contains resources created by AAHD staff that is meant to engage with and outreach to the disability community.
Collaborating with Accessibility Centers
Most college and university campuses have an accessibility center or office that directly communicates and assists individuals with disabilities on a daily basis. These accessibility centers are great places to reach students that may need additional library services due to a disability, and can help preserve financial resources due to the efficiency of departments working together. Many of the advisors at these centers are acquainted with these students and can work with library staff to ensure that the students are receiving the support they need and gain feedback from students on the library’s initiatives and services.
The process of collaborating with accessibility centers will vary from university to university, since each university has its own unique resources in place to support students with disabilities. Below are some articles that discuss the relationship between libraries and on-campus accessibility centers.
- Collaboration Between the Library and Office of Student Disability Services: Document Accessibility in Higher EducationThe paper by Rebecca Arzola from CUNY Lehman College aims to discuss the relationship between interdepartmental stakeholders in higher education and the information identified as a result of collaborations. It proposes that collaborations can help clarify issues to then advocate for them.
- An Exploration of Partnerships Between Disability Service Units and Academic LibrariesThis paper details the University of Saskatchewan's University Library's 25-year partnership with the institution's Disability Services unit. It describes how many library services and spaces mesh well with the Disability Services unit, making the library more accessible for all students.
Additional Readings
Disability and Equity in Higher Education Accessibility by ISBN: 9781522526650Publication Date: 2017-03-24Education is the foundation to almost all successful lives. It is vital that learning opportunities are available on a global scale, regardless of individual disabilities or differences, and to create more inclusive educational practices. Disability and Equity in Higher Education Accessibility is a comprehensive reference source for the latest scholarly material on emerging methods and trends in disseminating knowledge in higher education, despite traditional hindrances. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant topics such as higher education policies, electronic resources, and inclusion barriers, this publication is ideally designed for educators, academics, students, and researchers interested in expanding their knowledge of disability-inclusive global education.
Nothing about Us Without Us by ISBN: 9780520224810Publication Date: 2000-08-30James Charlton has produced a ringing indictment of disability oppression, which, he says, is rooted in degradation, dependency, and powerlessness and is experienced in some form by five hundred million persons throughout the world who have physical, sensory, cognitive, or developmental disabilities. Nothing About Us Without Us is the first book in the literature on disability to provide a theoretical overview of disability oppression that shows its similarities to, and differences from, racism, sexism, and colonialism. Charlton's analysis is illuminated by interviews he conducted over a ten-year period with disability rights activists throughout the Third World, Europe, and the United States. Charlton finds an antidote for dependency and powerlessness in the resistance to disability oppression that is emerging worldwide. His interviews contain striking stories of self-reliance and empowerment evoking the new consciousness of disability rights activists. As a latecomer among the world's liberation movements, the disability rights movement will gain visibility and momentum from Charlton's elucidation of its history and its political philosophy of self-determination, which is captured in the title of his book. Nothing About Us Without Us expresses the conviction of people with disabilities that they know what is best for them. Charlton's combination of personal involvement and theoretical awareness assures greater understanding of the disability rights movement.
Assistive Technologies in the Library by ISBN: 9780838910702Publication Date: 2011-03-03There are plenty of products out there for making information accessible to all users, but how can administrators and managers determine which are the most practical and economical for their particular library? Mates, former director of the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, strips away the technical jargon and introduces dozens of the latest options, including hardware, software, and peripherals. This guide will help readers * Choose the products that are best for their organization, with the help of the evaluative commentary, lists of suppliers, and additional resources included * Set up work stations and train staff on how to use assistive-technology such as screen readers, Braille displays, keyboard options, listening devices, and more * Meet compliance with regulatory agencies while benefiting every member of the community This sensitively written and practical guidebook will be an indispensable resource for ensuring that a library's offerings are accessible to everyone.
Crash Course in Library Services to People with Disabilities by ISBN: 9781591587675Publication Date: 2010-03-23This book helps libraries identify and implement new ways to serve their physically or mentally disabled patients. Authors Ann Roberts and Dr. Richard Smith work at the state level with persons with disabilities. They find that very few librarians feel comfortable with providing services addressed to the needs of the disabled, yet those who do offer services and programs other libraries can adopt and adapt. Crash Course in Library Services to People with Disabilities will help librarians get up to speed in understanding disabled persons and what they can do to make library premises and holdings more accessible to them. It provides basic information on the different types of mental and physical disabilities a librarian might encounter, then offers a range of exemplary policies, services, and programs for people with disabilities--efforts that are in place and working across the country. Provides assessment tools that help libraries gauge their ability to meet the needs of disabled patrons Includes a comprehensive index
Bibliography
Arlitsch, K. (2018). My User is a Machine: Making Information Accessible to Disabled Users by Structuring for Machine Intermediaries. Journal of Library Administration, 58(7), 728–738. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2018.1514834
Arzola, R. (2016). Collaboration between the library and Office of Student Disability Services : Document accessibility in higher education. Digital Library Perspectives, 32(2), 117–126. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le_pubs/113/
Ashmore, B., Grogg, J. E., & Rosen, H. (2020). An Accessibility Survey of Libraries: Results, Best Practices, and Next Steps. Serials Librarian, 78(1–4), 214–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2020.1703496
Bessaha, M., Reed, R., Donlon, A. J., Mathews, W., Bell, A. C., & Merolla, D. (2020). Creating a more inclusive environment for students with disabilities: Findings from participatory action research. Disability Studies Quarterly, 40(3), N.PAG. https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/7094
Brunskill, A. (2020). “Without that detail, i’m not coming”: The perspectives of students with disabilities on accessibility information provided on academic library websites. College and Research Libraries, 81(5), 768–788. https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/download/24511/32331
Krebs, E. (2019). Baccalaureates or Burdens? Complicating “Reasonable Accommodations” for American College Students with Disabilities. Disability Studies Quarterly, 39(3). https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/6557/5413
Murphy, S., Amerud, D., & Corcoran, C. (2019). An Exploration of Partnerships Between Disability Services Units and Academic Libraries. Collaborative Librarianship, 11(2), 118–137. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1423&context=collaborativelibrarianship
O’Sullivan, K., & Alexander, G. (2020). Toward Inclusive Outreach: What Special Collections Can Learn from Disability Studies. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, 21(1), 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.5860/rbm.21.1.11
Oud, J. (2019). Systemic Workplace Barriers for Academic Librarians with Disabilities. College & Research Libraries, 80(2), 169–194. https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/16948/19429
Peacock, R., & Vecchione, A. (2020). Accessibility Best Practices, Procedures, and Policies in Northwest United States Academic Libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 46(1). https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/lib_facpubs/148/
Pionke, J. J. (2020). Library Employee Views of Disability and Accessibility. Journal of Library Administration, 60(2), 120–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2019.1704560
Pionke, J. J. (2017). Toward Holistic Accessibility: Narratives from Functionally Diverse Patrons. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 57(1), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.57.1.6442
Rathbun-Grubb, S. (2021). Voices of Strength: A Survey of Librarians Working with Chronic Illnesses or Conditions. Journal of Library Administration, 61(1), 42–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1845546