An Accessible Library – how does it work? Kirsi Ylänne, Celia Library November 12, 2015

An Accessible Library – how does it work?Kirsi Ylänne, Celia Library

November 12, 2015

• What is an accessible library?• Library for All, a joint project

between Celia and public libraries• Finnish Accessibility Guidelines for

Public Libraries (WIP)

An accessible library

• IFLA Professional Report No. 89, 2005Access to libraries for persons with disabilities –

CHECKLIST – Physical access– Media formats– Service and communication

(in Finnish Esteetön kirjasto)

An accessible library?

• Emphasis on physical accessibility (esteettömyys) – information about wheelchair

access, lifts, toilets, parking lots, etc.

• Less (or no) information about accessible services or materials and collections

Accessibility information on websites of public

libraries

• Stivi-suositus, Saavutettava kirjastohttp://www.esok.fi/stivisuositus/

saavutettava-kirjasto • Turku University Library (a good

example)Provides information about physical

access and accessible services

An accessibility recommendation for university libraries

• There simply is too little knowledge about accessibility in public libraries

• No compulsory legislation• Accessibility is not seen as important

for a public library’s customers. – There are special libraries for print

disabled and deaf persons

Why are not Finnish library services yet accessible?

• Non-Discrimination Act 2014• Library Act is being drafted (2017)• European Accessibility Act (Dec

2015)– European Directive on web

accessibility ???

Legislation

• Celia Library’s joint project with public libraries in Finland

• Aims to include talking books produced by Celia in the services and collections of public libraries

• Started in 2013, ends in 2015• Continues as an established service

Library for All Project

• Celia Library itself reaches only a small percentage of potential users of talking books.

• According to PIAAC study 2012, 11 % of Finnish adult population (ages between 15 and 65) are poor readers– 370,000 people

Library for All Project

• Amount of audio books in the libraries is small.

• Celia’s collection of talking books is over 35,000 titles.

• Persons with print disability are entitled to read talking books produced by Celia

• Section 17 of Finnish copyright law

Library for All Project

• www.kirjastokaikille.fi• Information about the projecthttp://www.celia.fi/palvelut/palvelut-kirjastoille/kirjasto-kaikille

/• Final seminar November 13, 2015http://

bambuser.com/channel/celialibrary

Library for All Project

• A spin-off from Library for All Project• During the project the need for

guidelines and checklists about accessibility was noted.

Accessibility Guidelines for Public Libraries

• Based on the idea of Design for All• (Universal Design)• Not for an average user, but for all

kind of users• A library client can read literature in

that format which is most suitable for her/him (printed book, e-book, audio/talking book, braille book)

An accessible library

• Definition in the Accessibility Guidelines

• A library whose services all citizens can use equally despite their disabilities, special needs or minority group status

An accessible library

• is still a work in progress• The first part was published in June 2015.• will be finished in the spring 2016• Composed by a large group of

organizations from the library sector• Comments for drafts have been asked

also from disability and minority organizations.

Finnish Accessibility Guidelines for Public

Libraries

• Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (Kuntaliitto)

• Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI)• Espoo City Library and Helsinki City Library• Celia Library and the Sign Language Library of

the Finnish Association of the Deaf• Finnish Library Association• the Culture for All Service, The Finnish Centre for

Easy to Read, The Finnish Diverse Learners’ Association

Organizations involved

• to give practical advice on accessibility

• to raise awareness of accessibility among public libraries in Finland

• to present Design for All idea for public libraries– Good design solutions benefit

all users.

The aim is

• Environmental and physical aspect – wheel chair access

• Informational aspect – accessibility of communication– accessible collections and materials

• Social aspect– all citizens feel welcome to a library

Different aspects of accessibility

• definition of accessibility• leadership and strategy of libraries• collections and materials• customer service• events • pedagogical activities in libraries• library space• communication and online services

Contents of the Guidelines

• definition of accessibility• Saavutettavuus vs. esteettömyys• In Finnish Saavutettavuussuositus• First draft:http://suomenkirjastoseura.fi/files/

julkaisut/Yleisten_kirjastojen_saavutettavuussuositus_LUONNOS.pdf

Contents of the Guidelines

• Additional lists– List of libraries which have

collections in certain language or concentrate on certain culture

– List of organisations which can give information on disabilities etc.

Contents of the Guidelines

• Strategy and leadership– In recruiting accessibility experience

is taken into consideration.• Collections and materials

– Accessible books (i.e. audiobooks) are available

– When describing HLBTI literature keywords that are used are sensitive and up-to-date

Examples of Guidelines

• Customer service– Library staff is easily recognized.

• Events– There is interpretation into sign

language or translation into other languages than Finnish if needed.

Examples of Guidelines

• Serving new customers–Audio/talking books for people

with dyslexia–E-books for technically skilled

visually impaired persons

Benefits of following the guidelines

• Aging population and digitalization– need for good usability

• It is cost effective to take accessibility into consideration from the beginning when online services are planned and designed.

Benefits of following the guidelines

• a tool for following the new Finnish Non-Discrimination Act– making sure that the needs of

disabled persons are taken into consideration at libraries

Benefits of following the guidelines

• Currently we are composing parts that– cover library space– cover communication and online

services in a separate project at Helsinki City Library led by Jaakko Tiinanen

Still a Work in Progress

• Will be published in Finnish and in Swedish

• Publication in the spring 2016

Accessibility Guidelines for Public Libraries

• Still to do– Find a way to put Guidelines into

practice at public libraries

Accessibility Guidelines for Public Libraries

• Kirsi Ylänne– e-mail: kirsi.ylanne@celia.fi

www.celia.fi/saavutettava-kirjasto

Thank you! Kiitos!

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