Articles and Discussions http://www.webjunction.org/801 2010-11-04T23:15:49Z 2010-11-04T23:15:49Z Douglas Lord http://www.webjunction.org/801/-/articles/content/108566562 2010-11-04T23:15:49Z

Describes the best practices that the West Hartford Public Library has undertaken as part of its 2010 045 2011 LSTA grant Facilitating Access to Information and Resources br p Few organizations close their doors for an entire day to focus their energies internally While libraries need not fear the loss of sales revenues the possibility of alienating patrons by pulling a surprise closing looms large for directors and managers br br Yet that rsquo s exactly what the West Hartford Libraries did in late October 2010 Why Because they knew that the benefits of focusing on staff development far outweigh any possible risk br br Staff development reached 51 staff of the Noah Webster Main Library the Faxon Branch and the Bishop rsquo s Corner Branch br br While the afternoon was dedicated to a LibX demonstration a gadget zoo and a session on counting reference statistics the latter described by one staffer as ldquo truly gripping rdquo the morning was devoted to orienting staff to an ongoing LSTA project that serves persons with disabilities The project FAIR Facilitating Access to Information and Resources is the upshot of an LSTA grant that librarians Judy Eisenberg and Martha Church wrote in the Spring of 2009 and which was awarded 17 000 in LSTA funds br br The West Hartford Libraries are already ADA compliant and are pretty progressive in their commitment to serving the approximately 6 500 persons with sensory and physical disabilities in the community But Eisenberg and Church also knew that if the library acquired a few adaptive technology tools and some software they could further facilitate the use of the facility and the information rich resources it offers br br Years of experience however also told them that all the equipment and technology in the world would sit forgotten and useless in a dark corner unless the front line staff knew how to use it and felt comfortable enough with it to show the folks how to use it This staff training wasn rsquo t an afterthought tacked onto an adaptive technology grant training was written into the grant long before the librarians decided what equipment to get br br So Church and Eisenberg contracted with Hartford rsquo s NEAT Center at Oak Hill to do a morning long session Assistive Technology Professionals Jennifer Baker and Don Hoerman presented a PowerPoint that introduced the library staff to what NEAT does the two led a ninety minute immersion into the world of adaptive technology br br This hands on session featured m img height 263 align left width 197 src http item slide com r 1 0 i D2S1_Bx6z gOzMrgl7x0OXihJkia7vt alt otorized wheelchairs different kinds of pointing devices usable with feet and heads speech recognition software and walking with canes b i or is that a light saber i b while wearing vision distorting eyewear A little blind football and one handed shirt buttoning rounded out the activities p p img alt style width 198px height 262px src http item slide com r 1 0 i AHXm2_oZsD9xdyw8WvbHi62pWXft00RB br br Far from being a play session with cool toys however most staff found this an unpleasant experience that pushed them out of their usual routines and comfort zones The session was marked by physical awkwardness and discomfort levels that drew cries of frustration Why What was the point of turning a staff get together into a group of aggravated staff br br Even as staff asked that question of themselves the reason became obvious to consider the question ldquo What if I had to use this equipment in this building to find information To get a book To use the bathroom rdquo br br Listening to an abstract lecture about sensitivity to those with physical and or sensory disabilities can rsquo t engender the empathy that real life experiences do When fully capable people get the chance to experience what it rsquo s like to need to use specialized equipment our perceptions ndash and our attitudes ndash change We develop what Hoerman Manager of NEAT rsquo s Equipment Restoration Center calls an ldquo accessible attitude rdquo When an agency can do that it can move from point A to point B in terms of helping all patrons and that rsquo s what this training day was all about br br The NEAT Center at Oak Hill located on the corner of Holcomb and Coventry Streets can use your help in restoring used equipment on the first Saturday of every month p p nbsp p p nbsp img alt style width 218px height 163px src http item slide com r 1 0 i xPnZ8TV72D9sTcsUGvSBM2UvZF BZ2Oz nbsp img alt style width 215px height 161px src http item slide com r 1 0 i JAI5vu7O0T OROBKsEgwW1lZXVcfbgsA nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp img alt style width 418px height 546px src http item slide com r 1 0 i jqWjcOkE6j kg37g2Y7xsSYZHAri2ii p

Douglas Lord Douglas Lord http://www.webjunction.org/801/-/articles/content/99142724 2010-06-10T15:44:14Z

This 8 045 page PDF is written for any individual with a disability who may face a disaster According to authors adopting a mindset or culture of preparation is key 059 people with disabilities must plan even more aggressively quot br p The eight page document a href http www safeamericaprepared org tools pdf PreparefortheWorst pdf Special Needs Challenges During a Disaster Prepare for the Worst a Report is written for any individual with a disability who may face a disaster br br According to authors Independent Living Research Utilization and Richard Petty Director of IL NET adopting a mindset or culture of preparation is key and that ldquo people with disabilities must plan even more aggressively rdquo br br IL NET is a collaborative project of the Independent Living Research Utilization ILRU of Houston Texas the National Council on Independent Living nbsp NCIL in Washingon DC and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living APRIL in North Little Rock Arkansas The IL NET is a national training and technical assistance project working to strengthen the independent living movement by supporting Centers for Independent Living CILs and Statewide Independent Living Councils SILCs directors managers and staff p

Douglas Lord Mary Engels http://www.webjunction.org/801/-/articles/content/96851522 2010-06-03T22:43:17Z

This is the Accessible Web Pages Powerpoint Presentation br p Kathy Gips Director of Training and Dennis Begany Network Administrator from the New England ADA Center led a lively presentation and discussion of web and technology issues at the recent CLA conference nbsp nbsp p

Mary Engels Douglas Lord http://www.webjunction.org/801/-/articles/content/98661533 2010-06-03T22:42:42Z

The Veteran 039 s Health Administration helps partners build Section 508 requirements into e 045 learning products and web pages This is a 17 045 slide presentation covering the top 5 accessibility issues br p This is an excellent presentation by Mia Lipner Sue Martin and Mary Lou Mendez of the Veterans Health Administration s Office of Health Information p p It covers the 5 most problematic areas of 508 compliance alternative text link text form field labels color and keyboard accessibility span style font family Arial nbsp span p

Douglas Lord