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
当サイト内を検索できます。
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 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) 2025 was held this year in Astana, Kazakhstan, and it was a rich opportunity to connect, learn, and exchange ideas. This article will share some highlights of the sessions, posters and library visit.
There were two posters in this year’s congress on accessibility:
Image1: Misako Nomura, one of the poster authors, standing next to her poster in the exhibition area
This poster was presented by Misako Nomura and Maela Rakočević Uvodić. The purpose of the new updated guidelines is to support libraries to become more accessible by applying universal design and ensuring the physical and informational accessibility of the library.
One of the key takeaways from these guidelines is the fact that they are based on a rights-based approach, drawing on human rights frameworks such as the UN CRPD and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also stresses the importance of how leadership influences policies and how crucial staff training is to ensuring inclusive library services that meet the needs of diverse users with disabilities.
The guidelines also include updates on the latest technologies as well as practices in a simplified manner, addressing libraries that do not necessarily have specialist knowledge in accessibility.
Check the poster at the IFLA repository
Image2: Hiroshi Kawamura and Yasmine Youssef, authors, next to their poster in the exhibition area
This poster, presented by Hiroshi Kawamura and myself, focused on efforts in Arabic-speaking countries, with Egypt as an example.
Over the past five years, we have worked on adapting tools to support Arabic, building sustainable production workflows of Arabic publications, and holding workshops for children with print disabilities to improve their reading experiences. One one of the milestones was producing 150 Arabic accessible titles, including specialized content on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for children and youth.
Of course, there are still challenges. Copyright restrictions limited Arabic accessible content, and gaps in technological support for Arabic remain major barriers. But by building local expertise and solutions, there has been real progress, and the poster was an opportunity to share both achievements and lessons learned.
This session focused on the Marrakesh Treaty and its benefits in enabling libraries to share accessible content across borders. It provided a global perspective on how different countries are implementing the treaty and how this contributes to enhancing and changes the lives of persons with print disabilities.
There were very interesting discussions from library representatives on how the treaty has made a difference, and the session also included an overview of a recent Law Library of Congress report about global access to information for persons with disabilities.
In addition to the report, there were interesting best practices from the US, Japan and India on how the treaty was implemented to exchange titles across the globe and bridge the gap particularly in language groups were accessible formats are lacking.
Image3: The Library entrance.
One of the most inspiring parts of the congress was visiting the Specialized Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Astana. The library serves 1,620 people, including 522 who are blind.
Their collection includes Braille books in Russian, Kazakh, and Arabic, and they also have children’s books in tactile, braille, and print formats that were gifted to them. I was impressed to see the artwork created by blind users with the support of a teacher. Another strong part of their services is the training they offer in assistive technology, which gives their patrons the skills to independently access information.
Image4: (Four photos from left to right) A book that includes print and Braille; A pot of flowers made of beads; A poster showing print letters and their equivalent in Braille; A tactile graphic.
The library includes a reading room for adults, another for young children, a space for their collection of Braille, Audio and tactile publications. They also host a studio where they produce podcasts and audiobooks, including audio on disks.
Image5: (Three photos from left to right) A recording studio; Shelves holding a collection of Audio books on CDs; A CC TTV , a tool used for magnifying text
Patrons can access the titles either through visiting the library or it can be sent to their homes. Their activities include reaching out to nursing homes and boarding schools once or twice a week.
The visit left a strong impression of how much impact a specialized library can have when it combines resources, creativity, and commitment to its community.