Becky Hodges Jamie Griffith LI801 XU - Activity 2

1. Becky HodgesJamie GriffithLI801 XU - Activity 2 • Discovery Process: • A specialist working with the disabled in distributing resources

2. Background Information and Statistics • 1 in 5 people have a disability according to ADA - 20% of population or 50 million people • 3% of Americans are blind or visually impaired • 1854: France adopted Braille as official communication system for blind people • 1869: Boston Public Library begins loaning Braille books • Estimated 15% of eligible users use the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library • Pratt-Smoot Act in 1931 started LOC regulation of books in Braille for the blind

3. The Utah Library for the Blind and Disabled • 250 North 1950 West, Suite A • Salt Lake City, Utah 84116-7901 • Largest Braille library in the world • Supplies material to 22 western states • $1.5 million grant from the LOC to digitize • Pioneer in Web Braille. It is now possible to scan a document and print completely into Braille using library resources and the library’s website • http://blindlibrary.utah.gov

4. Assumptions about Librarian • Librarian has vested interest in special needs • Personally affected by owns disability? • Influenced by a family member or friend’s disability • Compassionate, patient individual • Possibly a former teacher • Technologically savvy • Possibly delegated into the field by ADA committee membership

5. Assumptions about Field • 20th century war veterans (WWI onward) • Different level of patron interactions • Primary focus is on technology • There may be a higher cost for materials and equipment • More narrow selection of all materials than in public/academic libraries

6. Progression of Work and Changes in the Field • Huge technological advances • WWW, sophisticated materials and equipment • The Web has changed the entire profession • Variety of materials available • Magazines, Children’s Lit, Non-Fiction, Textbooks • Increase in users of service • More patrons use services because of more awareness • Use of State Library’s website for self-promotion and volunteer recruitment

7. Core Competencies • Communication Skills • Expertise and Technical Knowledge • Resource Management • Service Attitude • User Satisfaction • Analytical Skills • Problem Solving • Decision Making

8. Core Competencies, Continued • Creativity/Innovation • Flexibility/Adaptability • Interpersonal/Group Skills • Leadership Skills • Organizational Understanding and Global Thinking • Ownership • Accountability • Dependability • Planning and Organizational Skills

9. Necessary Core Classes (as offered by our program) • * LI833 * - Information Transfer among Special Populations • * LI860s * - Variety of special interest courses as needed • LI811 - Assessing Information Needs & Evaluating Information Services • LI812 - Online Information Retrieval • LI819 - Repacking Information

10. Necessary Core Classes, Continued • LI837 - Teaching in the Information Profession • LI838 - Information Transfer & Government Relations • LI839 - History of Libraries & Information Profession • LI844 - Database Design • LI846 - Networking for Libraries & Information Agencies • LI855 - Collection Development

11. Prospects and Outlook for the Profession • Changes in the current manner of distribution • Will we still rely on postal mail? • What about electronic distribution (electronic talking books and podcasting, for example)? • Maintaining adaptability as the field is evolving • Technology continues to change rapidly • Is the profession likely to be redefined? • The core purpose remains the same, as with public/academic libraries • ALA and ADA policies ensure profession’s fate • Funding will always be an issue • Challenges to both the work of the profession and the institution do exist

12. Challenges to the Work of the Profession • Getting the materials to the widespread population • Specific jargon and technical skills • Material collection • Reader’s Advisory • Keeping up with changes to disability law

13. Challenges to the Institution • Storage Issues • 13 binders just for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”!

14. Challenges to the Institution, Continued • Public perception and awareness • Discrepancy in internet usage (Rubin quote) • Maintaining and/or increasing governmental funding • Hiring a qualified staff • Volunteer training and recruitment • Difficult to predict trends in libraries • Each library and region is unique • Special requests by patrons sometimes cannot be fulfilled or are too expensive

15. Different Skill Sets Necessary for the Profession • Adapting to specific (new & old) technology • Language skills beyond English (for example braille, foreign languages, ASL) • Increased sensitivity to the disabled population • Fastidious attention to disability laws and policies

16. How other disciplines shape identity of libraries for disabled • Research in learning style • Software and hardware development improve accessibility • Software and hardware development making translation into alternate formats easier • Publishing industry making more materials available sooner

17. Overview and Summary • “We as professionals often operate within a realm that greatly differs from the reality that is lived by [a] person with disabilities, and because of our social isolation from people with disabilities, we seldom realize how wide the schism is” (Foos and Pack 19). • All librarians have an ethical responsibility to provide materials to all users without prejudice • However, libraries for the blind are structured similarly to public/academic libraries. As such we have the same responsibilities & duties to maintain • Broad, encompassing field that surpassed assumptions that the field would be routine. It is exciting, ever-changing, and pioneering technology

18. Bibliography • Learning from the past: Building the future. (2005). Illinois Library Association Reporter, 23(5), 4-14. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from WilsonWeb database. • Abbott, A. (1998). Professionalism and the Future of Librarianship. Library Trends, 46 (3), 430-443 . Retrieved March 16, 2008, from WilsonWeb database. • Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies(ASCLA). (1979). Standards of service for the Library of Congress network of libraries for the blind and physically handicapped.: American Library Association. • Avery, C. (2003). Diversity and special services. OLA, 9 (2), 13-14 . Retrieved March 27, 2008, from WilsonWeb database. • Carey, K. (2007). The opportunities and challenges of the digital age: A blind user's perspective. Library Trends, 55 (4), 767-784 . Retrieved March 26, 2008, from WilsonWeb database. • Kimbrough P, (2008). How Braille began. Enabling Technologies. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://www.brailler.com/braillehx.htm • McCain, M. (2003). What's so special about special needs?. Public Libraries, 42 (1), 51-54 . Retrieved March 27, 2008, from WilsonWeb database.

19. Niederlander M, (2005). Library staff competencies. LibrarySupportStaff.com. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://www.librarysupportstaff.com/4competency.html • Quezada, S. (2003). Nothing about me without me: Planning for library services for people with disabilities. Public Libraries, 42 (1), 42-46 . Retrieved March 27, 2008, from WilsonWeb database. • Rubin, R.E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.. • Tinerella V.P., Dick M.A., (2008). ACRL: Association of College & Research Libraries. ALA: American Library Association. Retrieved March 4, 2008, from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2005/january05/refservice.cfm • Velleman, R.A. (1990). Meeting the needs of people with disabilities: A guide for librarians, educators, and other service professionals. Phoenix, AZ: The Oryx Press. • Wise, M. (2007). Serving the vision-impaired: "Blind people read too.". ALKI, 23 (3), 9, 28-29 . Retrieved March 31, 2008, from WilsonWeb database.