This session provided great team teaching by two accessabilty experts.
Very practical approach with great examples, this talk mentioned media resources and
practical examples. Highly recommend contacting either speaker for more information. I heard that both of these speakers are willing to make a visit to "your library".
Mary-Anne Parker O’Toole, Director of Information
Management/Librarian, Institute for Human Centered
Design, Adaptive Environments
Linda Stetson, Director,
Millis Public Library.
I missed the first half of the presentation regrettably, but here are some highlights that I did catch.
So who reads Playboy for the articles? Playboy in braille is provided "just for the articles".
Any degreed librarian can certify someone to qualify for Talking Books
Deal directly with the patrons to design their profiles. A real senior lady replied after having her
Very practical approach with great examples, this talk mentioned media resources and
practical examples. Highly recommend contacting either speaker for more information. I heard that both of these speakers are willing to make a visit to "your library".
Mary-Anne Parker O’Toole, Director of Information
Management/Librarian, Institute for Human Centered
Design, Adaptive Environments
Linda Stetson, Director,
Millis Public Library.
I missed the first half of the presentation regrettably, but here are some highlights that I did catch.
So who reads Playboy for the articles? Playboy in braille is provided "just for the articles".
Any degreed librarian can certify someone to qualify for Talking Books
Deal directly with the patrons to design their profiles. A real senior lady replied after having her
profile limited by her daughter to exclude violence, strong language, and sex
"Well, honey that's the only way I get it any more! "
Stetson also shared a heartwarming story about a blind man with a dog, who lead a group of people out of the second tower on 911
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Door openers are not required, but are wonderful for the handicapped
Slippery floors
Contrasting colors (Aging eyes: on average one has half the vision at age 50, as age 25)
between the door and the floor
between the chair and the floor
between the wall and the floor
Staff areas need to be considered too. To allow for the handicapped and to prevent
problems (carpal tunnel)
Variety in furniture, some chairs work well for people, some don't. Remember some people can't get out of bean bag chairs!
SHELVING
Adjustable shelves
Consider where you put things; make them accessible
LIGHTING
Go Green - Compact energy efficient florescent bulbs are good
Increase room lighting
Avoid bright light in a dark room
Provide alternatives lighting
Ceiling light
Desk lamps for those that need more light
COMPUTER
Computer screens
Replace the old ones (they do admit radiation)
Consider the resolution
Put them on adjustable tables, use adjustable arms
Computer chairs
Choose the ones that are adjustable
Provide a variety of chairs
WAYFINDING
People don't want to ask
People want to be independent
Provide signage that is large and prominent
Decorate so people know what room they are in (e.g. children's room)
Use icons, images, logos
SOUND
Acoustical Clouds
Ceiling Tiles
Sound dome - (good for teen spaces; keeps sound in one location)
AMBIANCE
Smell
Sound (some people navigate by sound; put in a small waterfall)
THE WEB
Use it to provide more services
Podcast run through quicktime to provide it in the written word
Blogging, email, and the written word important for deaf people
Telephone with a text screen
Make sure to use words with Alt tags - A reader will read these tags
as (e.g. Here's a picture of a horse)
Avoid tables to layout the page, these are not read well by screen readers
Use cascading style sheets:
Try CSS Zen Garden - all the same to a screen reader
Lots of research out there. Consider the future. Remember that many people with handicaps
use the web in many ways (Facebook....)
Check walkers out at the stacks, so you can load books into the walker and move them to the desk.
"Well, honey that's the only way I get it any more! "
Stetson also shared a heartwarming story about a blind man with a dog, who lead a group of people out of the second tower on 911
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Door openers are not required, but are wonderful for the handicapped
Slippery floors
Contrasting colors (Aging eyes: on average one has half the vision at age 50, as age 25)
between the door and the floor
between the chair and the floor
between the wall and the floor
Staff areas need to be considered too. To allow for the handicapped and to prevent
problems (carpal tunnel)
Variety in furniture, some chairs work well for people, some don't. Remember some people can't get out of bean bag chairs!
SHELVING
Adjustable shelves
Consider where you put things; make them accessible
LIGHTING
Go Green - Compact energy efficient florescent bulbs are good
Increase room lighting
Avoid bright light in a dark room
Provide alternatives lighting
Ceiling light
Desk lamps for those that need more light
COMPUTER
Computer screens
Replace the old ones (they do admit radiation)
Consider the resolution
Put them on adjustable tables, use adjustable arms
Computer chairs
Choose the ones that are adjustable
Provide a variety of chairs
WAYFINDING
People don't want to ask
People want to be independent
Provide signage that is large and prominent
Decorate so people know what room they are in (e.g. children's room)
Use icons, images, logos
SOUND
Acoustical Clouds
Ceiling Tiles
Sound dome - (good for teen spaces; keeps sound in one location)
AMBIANCE
Smell
Sound (some people navigate by sound; put in a small waterfall)
THE WEB
Use it to provide more services
Podcast run through quicktime to provide it in the written word
Blogging, email, and the written word important for deaf people
Telephone with a text screen
Make sure to use words with Alt tags - A reader will read these tags
as (e.g. Here's a picture of a horse)
Avoid tables to layout the page, these are not read well by screen readers
Use cascading style sheets:
Try CSS Zen Garden - all the same to a screen reader
Lots of research out there. Consider the future. Remember that many people with handicaps
use the web in many ways (Facebook....)
Check walkers out at the stacks, so you can load books into the walker and move them to the desk.
