Assistive Technology for Patrons With Disabilities

Assistive Technology for Patrons With Disabilities

Patrons with disabilities have been historically underserved in terms of access to resources in schools and libraries. All too often this comes down to librarians being unaware of the resources available, along with how best to meet their needs as individuals. It's also important to realize that people with disabilities encompass a wide spectrum of needs. There is no “one size fits all” for disabilities. So, being comprehensive and inclusive when planning library programs is essential for meeting their needs.

 There are resources available to help patrons with disabilities live independently. These resources are known as assistive technologies and libraries use them on a daily basis. One of these resources is viewing prompts and commands for people who are blind or are hearing impaired. Some computers have these features already built into them including all of Apple’s most recent models. For example, one of their tools is spoken selection which reads words on a page on everything from emails to ebooks. These features are designed for “every kind of learner” and range from touch screens to help people with physical and motor disabilities to guided access to keep people who are autistic focused on finishing tasks, allowing people to process the words on the page. This can help a variety of people including people unable to hear and people who are auditory learners. Even the word to text feature can help people who are dyslexic.

The theme of accessibility is essential to helping library patrons with disabilities, especially when deciding which resources or software to purchase. The software can be expensive, so planning ahead, strategizing, and deciding which software to purchase with a limited library budget is key to being successful. The library staff should take time to research and familiarize themselves on the technology that's available, then decide which programs are most needed by their patrons and develop a plan for implementing it successfully. Most importantly, it's essential that staff members are trained on using this technology to meet people’s needs. That way they can work with people to meet their needs seamlessly.

Part of knowing what technology is needed is knowing the patrons in the library. People with disabilities are like everyone else in the library. Taking time to get to know them is essential for understanding their needs. Like asking anyone else what they need in the library from the staff to be successful, their testimonies and responses should be a guiding framework for library policies and strategies. It will also define the purpose behind these programs allowing you to help people out. The library may be one of the few places where people with disabilities can have access to Assistive services. Renee Grassi mentions this in his article Libraries for All: Expanding Services to People with Disabilities. “Social services are being defunded in dramatic and unprecedented ways across the state...Sadly, people with disabilities are among the many vulnerable groups of people affected by these cuts.” Our goal as librarians is ensuring all people have a memorable library experience if they have a disability or not. Assistive technology allows that to happen.