Assistive Technologies in the Library

There are plenty of products out there for making information accessible to all users, but how can administrators and managers determine which are the most practical and economical for their particular library? Mates, former director of the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, strips away the technical jargon and introduces dozens of the latest options, including hardware, software, and peripherals. This guide will help readers* Choose the products that are best for their organization, with the help of the evaluative commentary, lists of suppliers, and additional resources included* Set up work stations and train staff on how to use assistive-technology such as screen readers, Braille displays, keyboard options, listening devices, and more* Meet compliance with regulatory agencies while benefiting every member of the communityThis sensitively written and practical guidebook will be an indispensable resource for ensuring that a library’s offerings are accessible to everyone.

This sensitively written and practical guidebook will be an indispensable resource for ensuring that a library’s offerings are accessible to everyone.

This sensitively written and practical guidebook will be an indispensable resource for ensuring that a library’s offerings are accessible to everyone.

PrefaceAcknowledgments1. The Library’s Mission: To Serve All Patrons2. Creating Accessible Electronic Information3. Seeing the Bigger Picture: Large-Print-Access Technology Solutions4. When Computers Talk: Listening to the Web and Printed Materials5. Touching the Internet: Braille Access to the Internet6. Seeing the Sounds: Technologies for Persons with Hearing Impairments7. Surfing the Internet with a “Different” Board8. Accessible Collections, Resources, and Discussion Forums9. Staff Make It All Work10. Finding the Funding11. We Got It—Come and Get It; or, Marketing12. Creating Avenues for Accessible Electronic CommunicationAfterwordAppendix A VendorsAppendix B Additional ResourcesAppendix C Grant OpportunitiesIndex