Accessibility Programs at 2018 ILA Annual Conference

There's going to be a whole lot of learning going on this week at at the 2018 Illinois Library Association Conference in Peoria, Illinois, and this year's theme "Libraries: All Inclusive" includes many programs of interest to our SNAILS community.

There is so much to explore from the Diversity and Special Populations conference track in relation to serving patrons with disabilities: from assistive technology to accessible catalogs, databases to employment, programs to physical space, and ideas for volunteerism. With many other inclusive sessions offered concurrently, it's going to be challenging to decide which programs to attend!

Here's a little preview in hopes it may help you prioritize in advance...


Tuesday, October 9

Sensory Friendly: Including Patrons with Autism Spectrum Disorder into the Library
One in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). How do you make sure these patrons, including ASD adults are welcome in your library? Find out varities of programs to offer, how to get started, collaborate with local organizations, gather administrative support, and get tips for starting the grant writing process.

Building an Accessible and Inclusive Catalog
Is your library’s catalog accessible to everyone? Does the language contribute to stereotypes or systematic prejudice? Are the subject headings being used to marginalize vulnerable groups? Libraries have traditionally been aware of the bias inherent in the system, but change is slow and fraught with challenges. First and foremost, one challenge is being aware of the issues. The catalog is the backbone of discoverability in a library. Following best practices in cataloging and universal design insures an inclusive and accessible catalog for everyone.

Creative Services for Patrons with Different-abilities
(*support your SNAILS member presenters)
Interested in providing customized library services to youth and adult patrons with special needs, but unsure where to begin? Learn about Deerfield Public Library’s innovative adult programming initiative P.L.A.C.E. (Public Library Access and Community for Everyone), which provides unique artistic and social opportunities. Discover how to go beyond Sensory Storytime to serve children with special needs, and learn how to cultivate community through volunteer partnerships and visibility in-person, online, and in the media. Give your confidence a boost with practical strategies for outreach, disability-awareness, programming, and resources. Libraries are for everyone!

TABLE TALK: We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends - Inclusion Via Library Volunteerism
How in the world do you find volunteer positions for residents that want to help the library, while also balancing the needs of each of your library's departments, while not creating more work for your staff? How do you assess volunteer skill sets? How do you become more inclusive and create opportunities for volunteers from all walks of life? We will take a look at how each Table Talk participant's current library volunteer system works (or doesn't work) and ways to improve. This Table Talk is interactive, with lots of discussion, much candidness and some good laughs. Come prepared to share and please bring your smartphone as we will be utilizing it during our discussion.

Wednesday, October 10

Cultivating a Neurodiverse Workforce: Why Your Staff Should Include Employees on the Autism Spectrum
(*support your SNAILS member presenters)
Adults on the autism spectrum who are interested in working at libraries face many employment-related challenges due to the stigma of being on the spectrum. The Skokie and Midlothian Public Libraries have positioned themselves as inclusive workspaces for individuals with autism. Two staff members on the spectrum will share their employment experiences at these libraries. Participants will learn how both libraries have helped their staff members use their talents and how managers at these libraries act as employment advocates for people with autism.

Poster Session: Accessibility for All: Screen Readers
This poster will discuss the options available to all libraries to better accommodate their visually impaired patrons. The focus will be on the comparison of different screen readers, which are computer aides for the visually impaired. I will demonstrate how to use the most popular screen readers and give people the chance to ask questions regarding usability in a library setting. I will have practical guides to using different screen readers and helpful tips for partnering with different organizations to extend a library's outreach to include all patrons, specifically the blind, and sight impaired.

Thursday, October 11

Assisting People with Disabilities
This session will highlight some of the work that has been going on at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in terms of reaching out to and assisting people with disabilities (physical, mental, sensory). This session will also include a practical discussion for empowering libraries to go beyond American with Disabilities Act compliance including walking your building, using User Experience techniques, and refining services.

Poster Session: Creating a Consortium Task Force to Assess E-Resource Accessibility
This poster examines the creation of a library task force within the Big Ten Academic Alliance to assess e-resources for accessibility.  The task force has hired two companies to do testing and makes those results available to the public.  The task force has also created boilerplate language to be used in contract negotiations for licenses to increase accessibility of e-resources for people with disabilities.

The Disability Accommodation Process in the Library Workplace for Employees
This session focuses on navigating the accommodation process when a library employee has a disability. This session is centered on the employee side of the process and will include a discussion of resources as well as strategies for managing the process. The presentation will draw on the speaker's experience of the process.

Thankfully, SNAILS members will be present at ILA, and we should be able to report back on what we learn. Check back next week for some main take-aways and links to conference handouts!