Libraries and Accessibility

As described by the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, a disability may be physical, developmental, emotional or learning related. It is an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, which are functions that are important to most people’s daily lives. Examples of major life activities are breathing, walking, talking, hearing, seeing, sleeping, caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, and working.

Libraries especially need to expand staff awareness and sensitivity to a more diverse group of library users through training. These resources provide guidance on how to interact with persons with disabilities and how to create appropriate services.

• Niche Academy - Self-paced tutorials and recorded webinars, including classes on the ADA for Libraries, Supporting Staff with Disabilities, and Disability Etiquette and Awareness.

• Project ENABLE (Expanding Non-discriminatory Access By Librarians Everywhere) Free, self-paced, online training specifically for librarians. Users who successfully complete all of the training modules and quizzes can obtain a Certificate of Achievement.
• Tips On Interacting With People With Disabilities - Booklet that provides guidance for a wide range of situations. This one is worth printing and sharing with all your staff.
• People First chart - Learn how to speak about people with disabilities using language from this.
• RespectAbility - Shares a video of etiquette tips for Interacting with People with Disabilities.
• "At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities" - Self-paced webcourse for people interested in discovering best practices for working with patrons and customers who have disabilities.
• "Reaching out to Customers with Disabilities" - Self-paced webcourse explaining how the ADA applies to nonprofits and businesses.
• Serving Library Users on the Autism Spectrum - Online course designed by experts in both the library and autism fields. It consists of a series of four independent, self-paced instructional modules that are intended for librarians and library staff to learn how to better serve their users with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Autism Services and Resources of Connecticut or the FOCUS Center for Autism - For training on interacting with patrons with autism.
• GELS: Accessible Library Programs - webinar recording from the CT State Library's Division of Library Development's Growing Equitable Library Services (GELS) series. 
  • GELS Webinar transcript
  • GELS Webinar slides

• The Connecticut Library for Accessible Books (CT LAB), formerly the Connecticut State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH), is a network library of the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). CT LAB lends books and magazines in audio and braille formats, for free, to any Connecticut resident who is unable to read regular print due to a visual, reading, or physical disability.

• Disability Rights Connecticut is an independent, nonprofit organization established as the successor entity to Connecticut’s Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. DRCT works to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, their families and the disability community.

• The Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services manages the state's Bureau of Disability Determination Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, State Unit on Aging, and other bureaus and departments.

• The Connecticut Tech Act Project (CTTAP) helps to increase independence and improve the lives of individuals with disabilities through increased access to assistive technology for work, school and community living.

• The State Education Resource Center (SERC) offers assistive technology, library resources, and training to educators, service providers, and families in order to support educational equity and excellence.

• New England ADA Center (Boston) provides "information, guidance, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508, and accessible information technology to individuals living in New England."

• Americans with Disabilities Act CT (ADACC) promotes ADA compliance. The group is devoted to educating individuals with disabilities, businesses, and governmental entities about the ADA.

• The Center for Disability Rights "advocates for people with disabilities and their issues on a local, state-wide, and national level. We also provide services to individuals and their families, as well as technical assistance and community education to businesses, government, and members of the community."

• There are several Centers for Independent Living throughout the state that help with accessibility issues.

• The Connecticut Association of the Deaf (CAD) promotes, protects, and preserves the rights and quality of life of Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens of Connecticut.

• In addition to being a leader in educational programs and services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, the American School for the Deaf in Hartford offers sign language interpretation services, sign language classes, and mentors.

• National Federation of the Blind of CT is a nonprofit volunteer membership organization comprised of blind and interested sighted persons of all ages, their families and friends. They help newly blind people adjust to vision loss and promote the full participation and integration of blind people in our communities through the development of skills, confidence, and independence.

• Connecticut Family Support Network (CTFSN) exists to help families raising children with disabilities and special health care needs.

• West Hartford Public Library Accessibility - A web page from the West Hartford Public Library that include information about building accessibility, Assistive Technology devices available at the library, homebound service, and service to nursing homes, with a link to a list of DVDs with audio description
• Sno-Isle Libraries (WA) Accessibility page - With information about services available for specific needs, online resources, and discovery links.
• Simsbury Library Accessibility Accessibility Accommodation Request Form - The Library provides accommodations by request for physical access, communications, or other needs to ensure services, activities, and programs are available to people with disabilities. To request an accommodation, patrons must fill out the form online and submit it to the library.
• Kent Memorial Library Reasonable Accommodation Request Form (PDF) 
• Simsbury Public Library Service Animal Policy (PDF)