Book description
There are plenty of products out there for making information
accessible to all users, but how can administrators and managers
determine which are the most practical and economical for their
particular library? Mates, former director of the Ohio Library for the
Blind and Physically Disabled, strips away the technical jargon and
introduces dozens of the latest options, including hardware, software,
and peripherals. This guide will help readers * Choose the products that
are best for their organization, with the help of the evaluative
commentary, lists of suppliers, and additional resources included * Set
up work stations and train staff on how to use assistive-technology such
as screen readers, Braille displays, keyboard options, listening
devices, and more * Meet compliance with regulatory agencies while
benefiting every member of the community This sensitively written and
practical guidebook will be an indispensable resource for ensuring that
a library's offerings are accessible to everyone. Retiring after 25
years as the head of the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically
Disabled, Barbara T. Mates now works as an independent consultant
specializing on topics related to senior services and accessibility
options for persons with disabilities. She is a longtime member of ALA's
Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA),
having served as the association president in 2007-2008, and she chaired
ALA's 2010 Schneider Family Book Award Committee. Mates has presented
numerous papers and workshops across the country, and she is the author
of 5-Star Programming and Services for Your 55+ Library Customers (ALA,
2003); “Computer Technologies to Aid Special Audiences,” which appeared
in Library Technology Reports in 2004; and “Assistive Technologies for
Today's Libraries,” for American Libraries (2010). In 2001 Mates
received the prestigious Francis Joseph Campbell Award. In 2010 she
received the ASCLA 2010 Exceptional Service Award for her advocacy on
behalf of persons with disabilities and older adults in regards to
library services as well as within the ALA infrastructure. William R.
Reed IV is the regional librarian for the Ohio Library for the Blind and
Physically Disabled, a part of the Cleveland Public Library. He has
spent more than 10 years working in library services to patrons with
disabilities and training patrons how to use adaptive computers and
technology. He is also very active in ASCLA and is currently chair of
the Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (LSSPS).
