Module 6 Blog Post

 What I have learned so far in the information throughout the modules can be summed up into one statement: "Do not make assumptions about ability." I have tried to keep that in mind now as I think of someone who may have a disability. The truth is you should never judge ability based on experience. Leading with the assumption that someone who is elderly is going to find technology usage challenging is a rude stigma that can alter their interaction with library staff and lead to a negative feeling about library use. 

While going through the chapters in Keep it Simple, I had in mind my own academic library. To my knowledge, we have no equipment to assist people with print disabilities. We have no texts in braille, no magnifiers or screen readers for books, and very little available information on our website for on how we can potentially Interlibrary Loan materials or audiobooks that are more accessible to those expressing that need. We also have little to no staff training on how to assist patrons with disabilities on a wide range of topics. Even if we did have systems like refreshable Braille, staff are not likely to know about it. 

Something that our text also touches on is ease of use. It seems like assistive technologies should be readily available for walk-up use without a patron having to go out of their way to seek the material now. Having assistive technology available for check-out would be helpful, but it would probably be more helpful to have increased signage around the building regarding how to access materials and walk-up stations that house screen magnifiers for patron use. Having to approach a circulation or reference desk to ask for these materials may be a form of a patron unwillingly having to call to attention their disability. 

I think outfitting public workstations with assistive technology and training staff on the information related to them are the first step in trying to make library usage more accessible and convenient. However, after reading the Keep it Simple text, I also think that screen enlargers or readers placed throughout stacks or areas with a high volume of print text. That way someone in an area of the library can go to this station and browse with ease at least a little more like someone without a visual disability. Having to approach a service point to ask for those technologies to be checked out to their account seems like an unnecessary and inconvenient burden to place on the patron.