RLI 286  23 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC 2015 children’s librarian may address a parent instead of the child who is actually doing the library project, the library staff member mistakenly talks to the researcher’s companion as if the researcher cannot hear nor speak for him- or herself. A similar situation sometimes occurs when the patron is a wheelchair user. If the staff member is standing, it helps to sit down, if possible, to be on the same level as the wheelchair user, rather than looming above. Care should also be taken to address deaf or hard of hearing patrons in the manner they prefer, whether through a sign-language interpreter or by enabling them to see the speaker’s lips if they are comfortable with lip reading. Again, the library staff member should always address the patron as directly as possible. Training in interacting with individuals with disabilities can be accomplished by specialists, by institutional or campus partners, and by those with disabilities themselves who are willing to share their views and explain what processes could be put in place to improve accessibility as well as enhance the entire library experience. The opportunity to have a human interaction is often why people come to the library to seek assistance rather than turning solely to Internet searches. Staff awareness, flexibility, and willingness to admit what they do not know—asking patrons how best to help them—can help to achieve the equity that libraries seek for all users in the interest of the best possible accessibility and fairness. Finally, users must be made aware of library efforts at maximizing accessibility and inclusion. Friendly and effective outreach to communities in which individuals might think of libraries as nothing more than a series of strenuous barriers can encourage use. Making sure that appropriate and adequate parking is available, accessible entries are clearly marked (better yet, make all entries accessible), and building signage makes sense and is readable are all factors that signify that the library prioritizes accessibility and that patrons of all abilities are sincerely welcome. Certainly verifying that students with disabilities are aware of what the library can do for them is important, but faculty, staff, and other users should also know from handouts and readily available web information (that is not buried on the site many clicks deep) how they can make the most of library services. Given the existence of invisible disabilities, marketing should be managed in a way that makes researchers feel that they can “come as they are” and still get good, friendly, non-judgmental assistance from any library staff member they encounter. Staff with Disabilities As the Society for Human Resource Management noted in a webcast in the fall of 2013, “If you are a government contractor—and it’s possible you may not even realize that you are—sweeping changes in your affirmative action obligations are heading your way. The US Department of Labor has unveiled new rules (under Section 4212 of Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) that impose new goals for hiring veterans and people with disabilities and requirements for collecting data on applicants, new hires and current employees. The workforce goal for disabled workers is 7 percent the ‘benchmark’ for covered veterans is 8 percent and, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has a roadmap for good faith efforts that may be a bumpy ride for federal contractors. The rules require solicitation of applicants to ‘voluntarily self-identify,’
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