Libraries are on daily basis in contact with the users with special needs. Among the most specific classified group are blind and visually impaired, and deaf people. Because of the specificity of disability, they need very specific equipment to access the needed information. In this assignment I will focused on the inspection of equipment for blind and visually impaired and deaf persons. First, I reviewed the standards, guidelines and statutory articles, which specify equipment for these two groups for libraries. The insight into the current condition of the equipment that libraries offer, was obtained by a questionnaire in which librarians in the libraries responded. Each of the libraries offer at least one device for these two groups, but this is very small amount, according to the regulations. Especially, since special equipment is expensive, in small public libraries the supply of this equipment is poor. Consequently, there is only a few blind and visually impaired and deaf users in such libraries, hence the modest result obtained by the questionnaire. On the other half, librarians want improvement of the current condition of the equipment in the near future.
|
