The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990, with additional amendments in 2009. This landmark civil rights law prohibits discrimination based on disability and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations, including libraries.The primary government resource on the ADA is www.ada.gov. Title II of the law applies to municipal and state-funded libraries. Title III of the law applies to businesses and non-profits, including association libraries.
Some resources about the ADA's effect on library buildings and services:
By integrating concepts of Universal Design into your library, you can ensure that buildings and services can be used by the broadest number of people. As Connecticut's population ages, Universal Design is increasingly important. Check out these resources:
These books are available from the library service centers through our catalog:
Constructing Library Buildings That Work by Pinpointing the elements that make library buildings functional, in this book readers will find a streamlined organization of the text that enables quick consultation and facilitates collaboration; concise coverage of the essentials of the library construction process, including who does what, how things work, and how to stay out of trouble along the way; advice on important planning and workflow considerations such as site selection, schematic design, funding, design development, the bidding process, construction, and post-construction occupancy; discussion of the characteristics of successful library buildings--buildings that are easy to maintain, welcoming to people with disabilities, have less trouble-prone restrooms, and provide security for users, staff, and collections; and an overview of bad ideas in library architecture, with pointed guidance on how to steer clear of them from the very beginning of your project.
Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations by The needs and functions of library buildings have certainly changed over the last decade, but the necessity for planning intelligently and thoroughly hasn't. Whether you're building from the ground up or simply remodeling, the success of your project hinges on planning, coordination, and communication. Using a popular checklist format that ensures no detail is overlooked, this planner covers crucial considerations like Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) factors, structured to match the federal code; sustainable design features, including sensors that save energy and water; designing makerspaces, digital media labs, or leased library enterprises; disaster and recovery planning; creating quiet spaces; collaborative collections and materials-handling efficiency; and important virtual presence aspects to bear in mind during physical space decisions.
Making the Library Accessible for All by This book is intended to be a single-source guide relevant to all library functions that librarians can easily refer to when planning, remediating, or evaluating for accessibility. Includes chapters on web accessibility and technology accessibility.If you know of a great resource that should be included in the Libraries and Accessibility pages, please contact Matt Geeza, Matt Geeza@ct.gov.
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