toolkit
Keynotes:
Accessibility
- axistive: Assistive Technology News Portal (USA)
A US based site that provides news, articles, product reviews and product and vendor information of assistive technology devices. [link] - Centre for Accessible Environments (UK)
An information provider and a forum for collaborative dialogue between providers and users on how the built environment can best be made or modified to achieve inclusion by design. [link] - Claud - librarians in higher education working to improve library access for disabled users in the South and South-West of England (UK)
Claud aims to disseminate information on disability and establish good practice. Although a member organisation the site contains a useful bibliography and links section, as well as details of recent events. [link] - Disability Awareness Training for Libraries (UK)
Produced by The Open Rose Group, which comprises Library staff involved in supporting users with disabilities at eight Yorkshire universities, this film and supporting materials are for use in Libraries to assist staff training on disability issues and are available to purchase. [link] - Disability Rights Commission (UK)
An independent body established in April 2000 by Act of Parliament to stop discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. [link] - Gateway: Helping you to help blind and partially sighted people (UK)
Practical help and resources for librarians providing services to blind and partially sighted people. [link] - Gender Equality Duty (UK)
From 6 April 2007 UK public authorities are subject to a new Gender Equality Duty. A short guide has been prepared by CyMAL, highlighting how it may affect museums archives and libraries - e.g. in relation to accessible buildings, providing pushchair space etc. [link] - NEW Inclusion By Design (UK)
The built environment can contribute to a more equal, inclusive and cohesive society if the places where we live, the facilities we use and our neighbourhoods and meeting places are designed to be accessible and inclusive. This PDF looks at a broad meaning of inclusion – not just access – starting with what an inhospitable built environment looks and feels like, and the unintended social, cultural and economic inequalities that follow. [PDF] - Inclusive Design (UK)
Inclusive design is about ensuring that environments, products, services and interfaces work for people of all ages and abilities. Many people are interested in this, but there is no ready source of information, methods, tools and examples to help them achieve it. This website aims to plug that gap by bringing together new and existing information and making it accessible via a single user-friendly interface. [link] - Library Access (UK)
Examples of best practice in a whole host of areas, including consultation; policy formation and planning; disability audits; inclusive design; training; marketing, and quality control. A joint initiative (2003) between the Library Council Ireland and The Equality Authority. The booklet can be ordered free of charge or downloaded as a PDF or RTF document. See also Making Access Happen [link] - London Disability Network for Archives, Libraries and Museums (UK)
The aim of the Network is to provide a regional forum for discussion, partnership-building, consultation and action planning. [link] - Making Access Happen (UK)
Making Access Happen explores practical initiatives to reasonably accommodate library users with disabilities. A joint initiative (2005) between the Library Council Ireland and The Equality Authority. The booklet can be ordered free of charge or downloaded as a PDF or RTF document. See also Library Access [link] - Museums and Art Galleries: Making Existing Buildings Accessible (UK)
Confronts the dilemmas faced in making historic buildings more inclusive in response to contemporary access standards and regulations. With illustrations, case studies and research is generates a set of guidelines specific to museums and art galleries. Cave, A., RIBA Publishing, January 2007, £35.00 [book]