Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities

Library Users with Disabilities in Indigenous and Remote Communities

Prepared by Yvonne Morant, LISWA, for the Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities, March 2002

Background

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion of key issues and strategies pertinent to improving the delivery of library services to indigenous people with disabilities in Australia, whether in urban centres or in remote communities.

Many libraries in Australia are still addressing issues of library use by people with disabilities. A few library services have strategies in place to address issues of indigenous library use; almost none is systematically addressing the issues presented by library users with disabilities from indigenous and remote communities.

This is not surprising given that governments and health agencies in Australia are still coming to grips with basic data such as the prevalence of disability among Australian indigenous people. For example, the Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet (http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/ ) observes:

There has been little progress since the publication of Australia’s Welfare 1995 in establishing national prevalence estimates for disability among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The problems lie in definition and conceptualisation, as well as in survey sampling methods.

According to The Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet, results of The [ABS] National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey (NATSIS) showed 2.8% of people aged 25-44 and 1% of those aged 15-24 reported severe or profound handicap in 1994. While these results are similar to those for the general population reported in the ABS Disability, Ageing and Carers Survey, the two surveys are not considered strictly comparable. Unfortunately, ABS data is considered unreliable in remote areas especially if traditional survey techniques are used as they were with the NATSIS. In addition the definition of "disability" is culturally specific. For example, in indigenous communities it can be part of familial obligations to carry or transport people and a wheel chair is not considered necessary; nor does a wheelchair work too well where there are no footpaths as in most remote communities.

At the national level, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Department of Family and Community Services' National Disability Advisory Council are together organising the formation of a working party to address indigenous disability issues. One of the working party's first tasks will be to consider the viability of the proposed National Indigenous Disability Network, a new initiative designed to develop networks and facilitate information exchange between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people with disabilities. The working party is to be comprised primarily of indigenous Australians.

Indigenous Library Users with Disabilities – Key Issues

Given the difficulties associated with collecting basic data on the prevalence of disabilities within indigenous communities, it is not possible to clearly identify the needs of indigenous people with disabilities with respect to library and information services. However, it is known that indigenous communities suffer relatively high rates of certain medical conditions that can be expected to lead to varying degrees of disability, for example a higher incidence of glaucoma, ear infections and diabetes, leading to sight and hearing impairments. Together with low rates of English literacy, this translates to a major incidence of print and other disability in indigenous communities and is a serious barrier to library use.

Key issues for discussion are:

2.1 Lack of awareness and lack of acknowledgement by library professionals and library authorities generally that there is a need to consider the issue of library users with disabilities in indigenous and remote communities. Lack of data describing the extent of the “problem” – what disabilities, how many, where located?

2.2 Double disadvantage of disability and Aboriginality increases barriers to library use, i.e.

  • Inequity of access to appropriate library and information services – most indigenous and remote communities do not yet have easy access to library services of any kind. Capital works and infrastructure issues. What is an appropriate library and information service?.
  • Need for cultural and disability awareness training for library staff;
  • Need to recruit indigenous library workers and professionals;
  • Identification of library resources that are culturally appropriate (sometimes to specific geographical locations), that are accessible in terms of literacy and that are available in a range of alternative formats to overcome disabilities;
  • Overcoming barriers of culture, language and literacy, disability and remoteness in order to be able to demonstrate and promote the value of library services to indigenous peoples.
  • The difficulties associated with capturing data for library patron records that identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, let alone those with a particular disability

2.3 Lack of adaptive technology in libraries in remote and indigenous communities. Is the adaptive technology that is currently available culturally appropriate or technically feasible for use in indigenous and remote communities? Is technical support and training available?

2.4 The importance for library services of identifying and developing partnerships with suitable agencies with access to networks in indigenous and remote communities, e.g. education, community services and health and aged care agencies.

2.5 Implications of the digital divide for indigenous people with disabilities. Technology offers great potential for overcoming barriers but there are infrastructure and training issues.

2.6 The need for any plans or strategies for the development of library services to be community-based, community-managed and community-controlled.

2.7 Who should be responsible for implementing strategies?

Recommended Strategies

  • Gather and document information outlining progress towards the establishment and development of library services in indigenous and remote communities (including telecommunications and technology infrastructure) from all State authorities responsible for public library services. (Note NT and Qld models.) Survey to include specific questions to determine the extent to which consideration has been given to addressing disability related issues.
  • Continue to support and actively encourage initiatives to develop medium to long-term recruitment end employment strategies for indigenous library professionals and workers.
  • Identify mechanisms for librarians to share information on library resources and library services that have been employed, successfully or unsuccessfully, with indigenous library users with disabilities, with an expectation that innovative approaches and non-traditional formats will be emphasised.
  • Identify sources of funding to enable the development and implementation of service delivery models that provide innovative examples and models of best practice in the delivery of library services to people with disabilities in indigenous and remote communities.
  • Develop links with the proposed National Indigenous Disability Network to raise awareness of the value of library and information services for indigenous people with disabilities and to explore partnership opportunities for the effective delivery of culturally appropriate library and information services.
  • Approach the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library and Information Resources Network (ATSILIRN) with a request for consideration to be given to including a paper on indigenous disability issues at a future ATSILIRN Conference.

References

Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet,
http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au

Facing a Life of Barriers: Aboriginal People with Disabilities.Report Commissioned by the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres [Canada]
http://www.schoolnet.ca/aboriginal/disable4/index-e.html

Provision of Adaptive Technology for Access by Clients with Disabilities to Information Services for the Northern Territory Library Network. Northern Territory Library and Information Service, July 2001.

Back to the top