Best Practices in Library and Information Services to Person with Disabilities

1. Best Practices in Library and Information Services to Person with Disabilities Prakash B Waghmare Librarian Government First Grade College, Manahalli Tq. and Dist: Bidar (KS) 585403 E-mail: vagmare@gmail.com Ph: 09900443390

2. Introduction: • Information is the basic need of the society. • The importance of information to the success of any academic institution should not be underestimated. • The information resources, services and facilities available in library must be capable of supporting every user. The user may be physically challenged or normal library users. • The physically challenged users are provided information resources with extra assistance to ensure the maximum utilization.

3. Disabled Population in India 2011 and Percentage of Disabled to total population India 2011

4. Disabled Populations by Type of Disability in India 2011

5. Persons with Disabilities : According to the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, "Person with disability" means a person suffering from not less than forty per cent of any disability as certified by a medical authority. As per the act "Disability" means - (i) Blindness; (ii) Low vision; (iii) Leprosy-cured; (iv)Hearing impairment; (v) Loco motor disability; (vi) Mental retardation; (vii) Mental illness.

6. Best practices in Library and information Services • ICT have changed the users expectation from the libraries in different ways • collection and services to the end users vary from past to present • Library supports for the entire range of academic activities in educational campus. In today’s high tech learning environment, the library as a learning resource which is taking up increasingly more academic space and time • Followings are the set of best practices in Library & Information Services to the persons with disabilities

7. Outside the Library Building: • The entrance of the library must be made accessible in accordance with applicable accessibility standards. If the main entrance cannot be made accessible, a secondary accessible entrance should be provided. • Marked with the symbol of Accessibility (wheelchair symbol) close to the library entrance must be provided. • Clear and easy to read signposting must be provided. • Ramps must be provided with railings on both sides. • Smooth and non-slip surface must be used throughout.

8. Getting into the Library: • A person with disability using any kind of support such as wheelchair, crutches or walker, cane, should be able to enter through the door and pass through security check points, if any, without encountering obstacles. • Sufficient space must be provided in front of the door to allow a wheelchair to turn around. Entrance door should be wide enough to allow a wheelchair to enter. • Doors should be operable using one hand. Glass doors, if any, must be highlighted with contrast colour at eye level to prevent persons with low vision. Stairs and steps edges must be marked with a contrasting color. • Signs must be provided for services and amenities such as toilets, elevators, stairways. Elevator buttons must be reachable from a wheelchair.

9. Inside the Library: • All parts of the library should be accessible. • Clear and easy-to-read signs with pictograph must be provided. • Service desks should be located close to the entrance. • A certain number of tables and computer workstations should be adapted for persons in wheelchairs. • Shelves must ideally be reachable from a wheelchair. • Unobstructed aisles between bookcases must be provided and wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and one person not on a wheelchair. • Visible and audible fire alarms must be provided.

10. Assistance Aids and Equipments • Innovative and improvised the software and hardware to contribute towards increment of information literacy among the challenged users, such as Text to MP3 Converters: Scanning, Reading and Writing Software: Reading Software: Screen Magnification Software: Braille Note takers, Braille’s Speak; and • Assisting people with physical disability: Persons with physical disabilities may need assistance in using the computer apart from having physical accessibility. The devices such as trackballs, joysticks, switches, touch pads, and augmented keyboards (micro keyboards or oversize keyboards with enlarged keys). • Adequate training and sensitization must be given to library staff to ensure that they are able to interact with PWDs. The person to interact with persons with disabilities have familiar with sign language and also be responsible for providing specific assistance required by persons with disabilities such as guiding them to print out books in Braille, procuring books from the online database etc.

11. The Survey • Website survey of Karnataka University Libraries on availability and non availability of information on Library Collection, Facilities and Services to the Disabled students in their respective websites. • Twenty three Universities of Karnataka, websites were browsed and none of the university given the information about the availability of collection, facilities and services to the disabled students in their respective websites.

12. Conclusion • Despite the fact that right of access to information is a fundamental right to any human being including those with disabilities, still most libraries face challenges in serving the disabilities. • Disabled people have special needs because they are special people. Implementation of these best practices in the library may make the best library. • Libraries are often in the unique position of being a community’s sole source of information. They have a responsibility to collect and provide information to their users including the physically challenged clientele. • Information should be in a format that the physically challenged can use. Construction of ramps for the handicapped must be there to have access into a room or building. Thank You