Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities
Additional Notes User Experiences
This next section includes some comments received from a request put out to two Internet lists about the Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities, March 2002
1. A user with mobility problems
I was a student at a Victorian university from 1994 to 1998 using the Library (Humanities basically). In 1994, when I started my Arts degree, the library staff member for students with disabilities was hired on a part-time basis; her office was located on the 1st floor at the opposite side from the main lifts and students had to wait in a queue at the Serials counter to ask to see her. I wrote to the University Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities (UACPD) about these conditions. A meeting was held between the staff member for students with disabilities; the person managing her position and myself at which it was agreed to give permission to anyone who required it, use of the staff lift (which was closer to her office). Her hours were not increased, her office or method for requesting to see her were not changed and it was suggested I might think about distance education.
My difficulties lie in mobility and strength. I required assistance with collecting texts, photocopying and borrowing. Navigation into and within the library was very difficult because of a) the sheer size of the building; b) location of lifts was not central; c) exterior and interior connecting doors were extremely heavy - far too heavy for people in wheelchairs to manage I noticed; d) queues for computer catalogues, microfilm, multimedia and borrowing were always too long for those who cannot stand for any period of time; e) the borrowing desk was inaccessible for those in wheelchairs or scooters; f) the only accessible toilet was at the very back of the 1st floor.
Renovations in the mid-1990s partly remedied these problems. I was involved in setting up the UACPD Library Sub-Committee but unfortunately it was too late to alter plans for resources rooms in the new building - I'll elaborate shortly. The addition of an extension to the library meant naturally more room. This allowed stacks to be spaced a little further apart, thus increasing room for wheelchairs and scooters. The front entrance was redeveloped and an extra ramp put in (however, to my knowledge it still has no gutter on it and I used to get reports from students in scooters that their wheels would get stuck when going around the corners). The heavy glass doors were replaced with two sets of automatic sliding doors and push through security gates (similar to those found at the supermarket so patrons can only go through one way and anyone trying to leave with material that hasn't been borrowed cannot get through). However, these security gates have no centre and their gap is at just the right height to catch on the tray of people with electric wheelchairs.
Tactile tiles have been installed on the floor to indicate the main areas to people with visual impairments, however, I still think they need to install a map for everyone that is colour coded and also brailled. All lift buttons are metal with embossed braille dots.
The loans desk has been lowered and the queue tapes rearranged to accommodate wheelchairs and scooters. There are several desks in the computer catalogue and multimedia areas which are height-adjustable and all chairs in those areas are ergonomic. The information desk has been lowered and is in a more central position.
The biggest improvement but also a big mistake was in the addition of the resource rooms in the new building. Formerly, the resource room was at the back of the 1st floor, was too small to even get a wheelchair into and had very little equipment. This room has been joined to the one next to it and transformed into a resting room with a bed, desk, telephone (internal only), chair and emergency button, it is also lockable. The accessible toilet next door no longer requires a key and has been renovated with flick-mix tap, sensor dryer, higher toilet and rails.
The new resource rooms in the new building are still the furthest walk from the front door, are only 2 x 3 metres and have no windows. They are not large enough for scooters to turn around in, they are claustrophobic and hot which means the door usually needs to be left open and hence there is more noise since they are not in a silent area. It is a tight squeeze when working in there with a disability support worker, let alone a guide dog or two! They do however contain height-adjustable desks, adjustable foot rests, ergonomic chairs, shelving, document holder, a PC and printer. One room also has a Scanner and Jaws software and I think the other has Dragon. There is also a tape player available and they are located close to the listening room and the microfilm area. The computers are logged into the campus network and cataloguing system. It is now also possible to renew books on-line.
There is a new accessible toilet next door to one of the rooms which is perfect apart from the heaviness of the swing on the door. None of these rooms however, had emergency buttons until three years ago - this is something I think is very important, especially when libraries are open until late at night or these rooms are in areas that are not very busy.
The biggest asset of the location of these rooms is that the music/multimedia staff office is next door and this is where they now house the staff member for students with disabilities. Although her hours are still no more than three and a half days (to my knowledge) there are between three and five people in this office at most times, at least between 9am -5pm. The new policy is open door so students can go straight in and wait if the staff member for students with disabilities is not there. Also, if she is not on, it is their policy to open resource rooms or the rest room for students and perform smaller tasks such as some photocopying, collecting or borrowing of materials.
Finally, security is a problem. There are not enough staff in the library at night to walk students to their cars or taxis. There is a security bus but this is inaccessible for many. Staff have refused to walk me to my car despite being told I could not use the bus. At night on campus this is a very scary prospect when you can't run. There should be a policy for people with disabilities to be granted an escort to their transport to ensure they are safe from being harmed by others as well as falling and not being assisted.
2. A older user
My disabilities are trivial compared to many people. However, I am going on 73, asthmatic and very unfit. I use one large university library (ANU), one medium-sized (U of Canberra) and one tiny (Aust.Catholic U) and very occasionally ANL. The easiest is ACU, because it is so small and almost all on one level. ANL has that deterrent flight of steps at the front and ACU and ANU both have stairways which can be taxing. They do have lifts, but these are mainly for staff moving books about or seriously immobile people - crutches, wheelchairs and the like; I feel an impostor, using them. When I inherit a billion dollars or so, I will endow escalators all around the nation.
Finally - I do not think I have ever encountered a librarian who was other than helpful, considerate and a thoroughly nice person. Do they teach you this in the course, or is it something they put in the coffee? Whatever - thank you, one and all!
3. A view from a producer of alternative format material
I am Supervisor of a production unit providing materials in alternative formats, which belongs to [a state education department]. I would like to express my views on our situation.
For the sourcing of braille and audio taped materials I found the NUC:D system (since abandoned) to be quite efficient. However this did not cater for the location of large print texts.
Our organisation [name omitted] belongs to Kinetica. I have personally not found this very easy to locate titles nor is it a cheap method. In February 2001 15 searches effectively cost $99.00.
It would also appear that several agencies that subscribed to NUC:D have chosen not to join Kinetica - hence we, in other parts of Australia, have no knowledge or access to new materials which might be available in other formats.
This situation unfortunately does not only effect the Vision Impairment Service as an education facilitator, but also has ramifications for students who also wish to borrow books for recreational reading. It would appear that several braille libraries have combined and are administered by Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind - this has not been a forward step in my experience when trying to locate and borrow a particular title. As you may understand with an education situation time is often of the essence when requesting titles in alternative formats.
