“Library Accessibility” toolkit

CHICAGO—Anxiety, panic, and fear. When trying to help a patron with a disability, many expert librarians are overcome by these emotions.

Recognizing that education is the most effective method for overcoming these barriers, a team of volunteers in conjunction with the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) developed Library Accessibility –What You Need to Know, which provides critical information and tips for librarians and staff in all types of libraries.

Edited by Monique DeLatte, this toolkit of 15 concise documents outlines the challenges faced by disabled patrons and offers methods for delivering one-on-one library services to these groups. The toolkit content was compiled by a committee of ASCLA members in partnership with experts in the field of library access, library science students at Louisiana State University and patrons with disabilities and their families.

Library Accessibility –What You Need to Knowcan be downloaded through the ASCLA web site


ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association, is devoted to the development of specialized and cooperative library activities, and its members represent state library agencies, specialized library agencies, multitype library cooperatives and librarians who work outside of traditional library settings.