...And Access For All: ADA And Your Library

With the recent passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), many librarians are wondering just what's involved in bringing buildings and services up to snuff. The good news is that the law doesn't require changes which will present an "undue burden." The better news is that that this new video from Library Video Network will help to ease transitions, and provides some good money-saving tips on how to implement those changes. Hosted by Marian Vessels, Executive Director of the Maryland State Office for Individuals with Disabilities, the program introduces viewers to the ADA and explains what it means, offers suggestions for reaching out to the disabled community through surveys and forming a focus group. It shares ideas for making sites and services as accessible to all as possible (for example using simple wood blocks under table legs can provide the necessary extra height to make the workstation accessible to wheelchair-bound patrons-without having to buy a prohibitively priced special table), and outlines the steps for employing people with disabilities. Combining interviews with administrators, librarians, and library staff, ...And Access for All is an excellent investment for public, school, and university librarians, and would serve as an integral component of a half-day staff seminar on the subject easily making back its initial cost. Plus, the 165-page accompanying manual, geared specifically toward libraries, provides solid program suggestions, a self-evaluation survey, and an extensive listing of resources. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)