特定非営利活動法人 支援技術開発機構
ユニバーサルデザインと支援技術で実現する知識と情報の共有
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特定非営利活動法人 支援技術開発機構
ユニバーサルデザインと支援技術で実現する知識と情報の共有
Yasmine Youssef
The Satellite meeting
The IFLA Section for Libraries serving Persons with Print Disabilities (LPD) has organized a Preconference Satellite to IFLA’s WLIC 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, bringing together experts, professionals, and advocates from the global library field with the aim of exploring, sharing, and examining the progress achieved so far to ensure that public libraries are indeed for everyone.
The satellite meeting focused on three main themes. The theme of the first topic was collaboration, some special libraries from different countries showcased how they partnered with other stakeholders including public libraries to provide services to their patrons.
The second theme focused on providing actionable steps and best practices on how to make your library services accessible to all. With a wide range of good examples from across the globe, we see some promising initiatives from national, academic, and other types of libraries that are taking one step further in their journey to become inclusive.
As for the third theme, it explored the topic of search and discoverability of accessible content are in this topic, we raise questions and search for answers regarding the discoverability of accessible content.
[Image1: Author on the podium introducing keynotes speakers of the first session of the Satellite Meeting.]
LPD Panel discussion
The LPD section has also organized a panel discussion as part of the WLIC 2023. The panel discussed from different perspectives the provision of inclusive library services to persons with print disabilities: user, special library, public library, producer, and legal perspectives.
The panel started off with a very powerful introductory presentation from Maarten Verboon, President of DAISY Consortium. He talked about the future of library services for persons with print disabilities. His speech concludes that to prepare for the future, special and public libraries have to work together to mainstream inclusive library services. Also, with born accessible books being more available in the mainstream market, how can these accessible libraries find their way to libraries’ collections in ways that persons with print disabilities can access them easily. And finally, he concludes that LPD libraries are still indispensable to ensure inclusivity and accessibility of libraries.
In the discussion, partnership was one of the recurrent answers of speakers to achieve inclusive services. Partnerships through public libraries, schools, and other key stakeholders to reach out to their users. Working together with the end users and building the service around their needs. Public libraries should collaborate with special libraries which are responsible for providing accessible media. It is a gamechanger, when they manage to have a close collaboration.
From the legal international perspective, it is important to know the international copyright framework as well as the national laws inside out and to use it. It became clear that there is a human right component and cannot be taken lightly. It’s a huge responsibility. Libraries need to be defending these laws that allow access to persons with print disabilities. we need to advocate for them, and our role is for access and accessibility.
The production organizations also need to collaborate with publishers to transfer their knowledge and support them to produce born accessible publications. However, production of accessible publications will still continue, since a large part of the publications will remain inaccessible, those who don’t have a digital source. Books with a lot of images, such as comics.
Another point raised was the importance of being mindful of the users’ needs, and moving forward and expanding services should not ignore that. Such as the elderly who have different needs than young people. Offering a variety of formats, such as talking books for dyslexics would encourage young people who struggle with reading to enjoy reading and using libraries. Although ideally if books were born accessible, young people with different reading needs such as dyslexia would be able to easily access mainstream books.
[Image2: Speakers of LPD Panel discussion sitting on stage.]
LPD Business Meeting
The LPD section also held its first business meeting during WLIC, a joint meeting of both outgoing and incoming members. Some of the items of the meeting’s agenda included: review of annual report, satellite meeting report and discussion around the section’s mission and goals.
[Image3: Group photo of outgoing and incoming members of LPD Section.]
Poster session
In the poster session of the WLIC 2023, Jelena Lesaja and Karolina Zlatar Radigović, outgoing and incoming LPD section members, from the Croatian Library for the Blind presented the library’s podcast that has been running since 2018. The podcast hosts authors that narrate their books and other professionals working in the accessibility field. Their poster won the award of the best visual impact at the IFLA WLIC 2023.
[Image4: Jelena and Karolina, winners of best visual impact poster standing next to their winning poster.]
LSN session
The libraries Serving persons with Special needs section organized an open session entitled "How can we make libraries accessible and welcoming for everyone.” The session showcased some of the guidelines that the section is working on such as IFLA Guidelines for Accessible Libraries and Services for Everyone, also the need on the use of proper terminology related to services for persons who are deaf, deaf blind or hard of hearing, and finally a presentation on accessibility guidelines from Malmo public libraries in their efforts to be inclusive and accessible for everyone.
[Image5: Speakers of LSN session on stage in front of a large screen that reads out: what is a disability?]
In addition to their open session, The LSN section meeting discussed the change of name and welcomed incoming members of the section.
Library tour
I have also been to a library tour in The Hague visiting the Peace Palace Library and the National Library of the Netherlands (KB).
The Peace Palace Library specializes in international law, they have a collection of around 1 million titles in various languages including Arabic. They are mainly serving the students of The Hague Academy of International Law, but also serve scholars and students from all over the world. More information on the library can be found on their website: https://peacepalacelibrary.nl/
The National Library of the Netherlands (KB) located in The Hague has a mission to collect titles published in or about the Netherlands. Registration for the KB library is for free. Now they are working on digitizing their collections and may collect a digital copy of their titles only unless provided with the printed version by publisher. They also work with a network of public libraries to provide information, educational services to everyone. They provide research services online, and they had over 4 million visits in 2021 for their online services. https://www.kb.nl/en
As for persons with print disabilities, the KB collaborates with Passend Lezzen (the main library service for persons with print disabilities) and Dedicon (producer of accessible titles) to provide accessible services.
[Image6: An image of the reading area of the National Library (KB) showing the library shelves.]
I have also visited another public library in Rotterdam and observed the accessibility measures that are taken into consideration, such as shelves accessible for users with physical disability, an online catalogue that has accessibility features such as read aloud, high contrast and zoom.
[Image7: Image of Accessible online Catalogue of Library of Rotterdam in high contrast.]
[Image8: Accessible shelves of Rotterdam library.]
In conclusion, the WLIC 2023 in Rotterdam was rich in discussion, exchange of ideas and insights on the future of inclusive library services. Reaffirming the role of LPD libraries in advancing inclusivity and accessibility within the library community.