Business Development essay writing help online: Description on management – services & facilities of library
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How can libraries and information experts ensure that their services and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities …discuss in relation to public, national, academic with examples??
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1. Introduction about services and facilities in the libraries and available through information experts
In the fast changing information age the libraries have utilised information technology to enhance their facilities and services and that is why majority of the publications are now available in electronic form (Shivalingaiah and Gowda, n.d.). The University Library Service which consists of Sir Duncan Rice Library and various other site libraries is very much committed towards offering full support, facilities, equipments and assistance to the disabled students, visitors and the staff can get full access to the stock and services which are being provided by the library Disabled people can access the site libraries however the level of provisions for them are different. While designing the new libraries every care is being taken in order to provide practical and sensitive accessibility solutions to all the users (Fan, 2005).
The libraries and the information experts have guides which cover all the aspects of the collections, services and facilities which are available in the libraries. The printed versions of many of these guides are also available at the Help desks, Issues Desks and Information Points (Mowat, 2012).
1.1 Parking Facility
Most of the libraries have designated blue-badge bays for parking. To use these parking bays you should be owner of and clearly display the valid blue badge in order to use these bays. The disabled users do not have to pay any parking charges.
1.2 Services for Disabled
The disabled students who choose to disclose their disability to an advisor available for the Student Support Service is being given the benefit of accessing on priority basis to the various services and facilities in the library. Disabled students are also legible to get an access to the Assistive Technology Booths which are also located in the Sir Duncan Rice Library, The medical School Library and Edward Wright Building. These Assistive Booths are equipped with the advanced assistive software as a supplement to the campus’s standard provision.
Some facilities and other services which are offered by effectual library and information experts are:
- Braille Embosser
- Computing Services for the Disabled Students
- Out-of-Hours Services
- Assistance from the Library Staff
- Fire and other emergency Procedures
- Reader Carrels for disabled students with adjustable desks
- Adjustable desks on each floor
- Accessible lavatories on each floor
- Lifts to all the floors
- Induction loops at the welcome Desk and all the Information Points
- Vibrating pagers to alert the disabled about the fire alarm activation
- One mobility scooter and one wheelchair for every disabled student
- Accessible Multi-functional device for photocopying and scanning (MFD) (Mowat, 2012).
2. Present Scenario of Libraries and Information Experts
Even the largest library of United States, Library of Congress which is accessible and open to public has taken many serious and advanced steps in order to provide accommodations and universal designs features which are totally in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All the entrances to the libraries are accessible for the people with disabilities and even the parking’s are accessible and specially made. The library buildings are wheelchair accessible. Even the interpreters are also available in advance for the people for different languages. Deaf staff members are available as tour guides. Along with accessible entrances there are accessible restrooms also which are indicated by the proper signage in each and every library building.
The library buildings these days have extensive assisted evacuation plans which includes area of refuge and evacuation chairs and the elevators can be used for non-fire emergencies. Floor wardens, police and emergency coordinators are well trained to give directions and are trained to coordinate assisted evacuation as required (Web Site Access: Library of Congress, n.d.). The pay TTY telephone is also available in the library.
Ramp access to the entrance of the library and the automatic double doors which close together. Lifts to all the floors in the buildings are present. The doors open automatically of the library the floors of the library are accessible through lift.
3. Policies and Procedures for people with disabilities in libraries
In order to make sure that the Libraries have practices, policies and procedures in place to provide the services as well as the required goods to the people with disabilities in Canada there is an act called the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) has been framed. The main purpose of this Act is to make thee libraries comply with the required customer service standards for the people with disabilities as suggested in AODA.
The libraries should ensures that the goods and services provided them are available to the people with disabilities in such a manner that it is in full respect and in dignified manner for them. The procedures, practices and the policies have been integrated into the current policies, procedures and practices regarding making available the products and services till the time any alternative measure is being needed. Persons with disabilities should be provided with an equal opportunity as given to the others to utilise and obtain benefits from the goods and service which are being provided by the library.
4. Varied Services and facilities available for disabled
In order to ensure their commitment towards serving the society and the disabled people the libraries and the information experts provide certain special services bad facilities for them and some of them are listed below:
- Personal Assistive Devices
People with disabilities are being encouraged to use their own personal assistive devices while accessing the services and goods in the library. Some of the personal assistive devices are white canes which are being used by blind people or the people who have low vision, walkers for people with walking disability, magnification devices like monocular, note-taking devices and personal oxygen tanks which assist in breathing.
Except for these devices the libraries have sliding door entrance which have accessible entry as well as exit doors, visual fire alarms, accessible washrooms with well equipped with the emergency alarms, a lift for the people who are unable or not willing to use the ramp or stairs, automatic doors in the washrooms, and a wheelchair for those who get tired very quickly.
The library collection also has large print items for visually handicapped people or talking books on the compact discs or the tapes along with the reading and magnification software on the public access computers within the library. Braille items and the shut-in service are also available in the libraries for the people with disabilities. Moreover the library staffs take all the efforts to help the people with disabilities.
- Communication
The volunteers and the library staff is being trained to communicates in such a manner that it takes care of the people with disabilities. Different medium for communication is being used for information delivery to the disabled by the library like for deaf or hearing impaired people are provided with typed, handwritten or printed information. For documentation as well as advertising the libraries use very plain and simple language so that the advertisements and documents acne b read easily by the people with disabilities.
- Service Animals/ Guide Dogs
The Libraries permit the people with disabilities to move around in the areas which are open to the public with their service animal or the guide dog. They are allowed to be accompanied with guide dogs or service animals unless the animals are excluded by the law.
- Support Persons
The support person is the person who accompanies the people with disability in order to assist the disabled person during communication, personal care, mobility or medical needs while the disabled person is accessing the goods or services in the library.
- Provision of Notice in case of temporary disruption of the services or facilities
Public notice is being given whenever there is disruption in the services or the facilities which are being provided to the people with the disabilities occurs in the library and the notice includes the reason for disruption , description of alternative solutions for the disabled and the anticipated duration for the disruption to be handled.
- Training of Library Staff
As per the AODA, 2005 the training is being given to the staff, volunteers and board members too who interact with the people with disabilities.
- Feedback
The libraries and the information experts have an established feedback process where the people with disabilities have the right to give their comments on the goods and services provided by the library. The feedback can be sent through email, over the telephone, in-person or orally, in writing or otherwise (Accessibility Standards For Customer Service, n.d.).
5. Kinds of services and facilities people with disabilities look for in libraries which are public or national libraries
People with disabilities are always looking for the services and facilities which are helpful in getting the best out of the rich information environment available in the libraries or with the information experts in order to assist in their research and learning activities. Therefore the advancement in the services in facilities through the proper use of technology would be very helpful in achieving what they want. Except for providing the major yet essential services like large or expanding prints, online books or research collections, value-added services like instructional classes, outreach services and r4eference assistance the people with disabilities are looking for complete digital libraries to gain access to them without even have to travel anywhere.
6. Methods used by libraries and information experts to make the services and facilities available to the people with disabilities
Today’s libraries and information experts are utilising very advanced and intellectual methods to make the services and the facilities available to the people with disabilities in the most convenient manner and they have tried doing so by offering various kinds of services like:
- Circulation Service
Renewals and putting hold on library materials can be done over telephone, extension on loan periods in special cases, staff assistance in getting the required material, assistance in using the photocopiers etc.
- Alternative format Services
With the help of Student Accessibility Services an alternative format has been worked out for helping the people with disabilities.
- Reference and Information Services
Assistance in the basic level research, reference assistance services is available through telephone, library tours and orientation sessions are encouraged, and for in-depth research assistance special arrangements are done (Services For Persons with Disabilities: lakehead Univeristy, 2009).
- Equipment and Software
- Print enlarger
- PC Computer with flat screen monitor, speech recognition software and many more assistive technologies
- Tablet PC
- Talking Dictionary
- Taking Calculator
- PDF Magic etc.
- Physical Facilities
Ramps, wheelchairs, elevators, washrooms, parking spaces, study carrels, computer stations and telephones are accessible.
7. Suggestions for improving the facilities and services for the people with disabilities
There are very important initiatives which need to be taken to improve the services and facilities for the people with disability, by the libraries and the information experts. However some of the suggestions which can be implemented easily are:
- Opening a Digital Repository in the campus
- Using ezSearch ( a federated and search and link resolver)
- Library Enquiry Automated Feedback System (LEAF) (a web application which provides answers to the commonly asked queries regarding the library and arts services.
- Maintaining Subject Library Weblogs
- Planning Expansion Projects for libraries
Using technology like Internet for enhancing the services for the Disabled in Libraries and information experts will definitely help in resolving many problems. For example the implementation of ezSearch which is a product of MetaLib and SFX from the Ex-Libris allows the disabled users to carry out single search across the few and selected library databases. Similarly the LEAF program will help in telling or answering the queries about the library by just typing a keyword related to the question. The students with disabilities can get regular updates about particular subject and the books and notes related to it through the creation of Weblogs like the Art, Design and Media Library (ADML) and the Asian Communication Resources Centre (ACRC) gives all the information about happening within the library and the news events in the, media and art scene along with the regular updates about the videos and new nooks too (Cheong, n.d.).
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