Yale University Library
Library Services for Persons with Disabilities
Policy Statement

Policy:
Persons with disabilities will have access to the Yale University libraries' resources and services comparable to that extended to other persons eligible to use them, and the library will actively contribute to facilitating such readers' independence to take full advantage of the libraries' offerings.

The library's commitment to actively address the special needs of this population of readers is informed by law, by the university's commitments to equity, and by the library's fundamental values of intellectual freedom and access to information underlying its service programs.

Service Program:
The library 's service program will ensure that persons with disabilities will have access to its resources and services, and facilitate their independent use of these offerings.

The program's objectives are:

1. To establish and promote service procedures, web design requirements, and facilities to support the research, teaching, and learning needs of persons with disabilities eligible to use the YUL.
2. To heighten staff understanding of and sensitivity to the needs of persons with disabilities and awareness of disability issues and service practices to address them.
3. To strengthen the library's organization as well as its relationship with the Resource Office on Disabilities and other campus groups to serve persons with disabilities.

Service strategy:
The wide range of physical, mental, and psychological conditions that can hamper a person's ability to access information creates particular challenges for the library in designing its services. The strategy adopted to address these challenges is to provide adaptive technologies wherever possible to facilitate the independent use of library resources and to provide staff assistance otherwise. The implementation of this strategy will be incremental.

Proposed program goals for FY01:

I. To establish and promote service procedures, web design, and facilities:

A. The SQI-C recommends that LMC adopt by June 2000 the Task Force listing of services to be offered by library staff and the three-part implementation plan for introducing adaptive technologies for facilitating independent use of the library's collections and services.

1. By 1 September 2000, Level 1 recommendations as outlined in the Task Force report will be completed, at an estimated one-time cost of $32,000:

   a) The Workstation Support Group will provide at least one workstation that meets the Task Force recommended criteria for being "accessible" to persons using wheelchairs in major clusters [including Kline Science Library, Government Document Center, Social Science Library, Arts Library, Divinity Library, Sterling Memorial Library, Cross Campus Library, Medical and EPH Libraries, Music Library, and Engineering Library].

   b) The Workstation Support Group will enhance these workstations with the recommended hardware and software to serve users with visual and learning disabilities.

   c) The Director of Library Facilities will assure that a TTY/TTD phone will be provided and placed at the Circulation Desk at SML so that staff can assist users with hearing disabilities.

2. By July 2001, Level II recommendations will be completed as outlined by the Task Force report, at an estimated cost of $11,300.
3. As part of Phase 2 renovation planning, inclusion of a virtual Center for Adaptive Technology will be included in the Knowledge Management service within the SML/CCL Learning Commons.

B. The YUL will comply with the W3C Web Accessibility (WAI) Guidelines, implementing Priority Level 1 guidelines on major library web sites by September 2000 and Level 2 guidelines by July 2001, as detailed in the Task Force report.

C. By 1 October 2000, the Accessibility Resource Coordinator will create a web page with information about public services, available adaptive technology, a contact list of Accessibility Resource Network representatives, and links to other resources available in the library and on campus.

D. The Accessibility Resource Network will offer annual accessibility tours highlighting physical access to library buildings, available adaptive technology, and special services.

E. By spring 2001, the Accessibility Resource Coordinator will design and place flyers highlighting the services above at various service points within the libraries, the Resource Office on Disabilities, and the Special Services van.

F. The AUL for public services will draft and issue by January 2001 [after the program is in place] a "news release" to the Yale Daily and Weekly Bulletin to promote the library service improvements.

G. To heighten staff sensitivity and awareness, at least twice per semester, the Accessibility Resource Coordinator will post updates about disability services on the library listservs, particularly YULIB-L, YULPUB-L, and the Expert User listserv.

II. To strengthen the library's organization:

A. By August 2000, the AUL for public services will appoint an Accessibility Resource Coordinator.

B. By September 2000, this Coordinator, in conjunction with the SQI-C and LMC, will establish the Accessibility Resource Network and propose a liaison with the campus Resource Office on Disabilities.

C. The library's representative to the Provost's Advisory Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities will report to the SQI-C at least once per semester on campus issues addressed by this group.

D. The Web Advisory Group will advise, establish, uphold, and maintain web accessibility and its relevance within the YUL.

E. The Web Advisory Group and its Training, Learning and Communications (TLC) subcommittee will offer library staff specialized training for creating accessible web sites, and the Library Workstation Support Group will create and maintain documentation on web accessibility training.

III. By the end of FY01, the SQI-C will review the completion of these goals and will request that the Accessibility Resource Coordinator establish a method to assess on an ongoing schedule how well the Library meets the needs of its readers who have disabilities.

Approved by the SQI-C, 5-3-00