Accessibility Services in Small and Rural Academic Libraries
Lightning Talk
1:45 PM - 2:45 PMThu
GLC-236
Assessment Lightning Talk
Presenters
Robert Amerson
Reference/Instruction/Systems Librarian
University of South Carolina Aiken
Deborah Harmon
Instruction/Reference Librarian
University of South Carolina Aiken
Accessibility services are coming to the forefront of libraries’ need to expand our patronage. Libraries have not been able to properly serve the needs of patrons with accessibility issues for years due to lack of funding and a mindset that these individuals would not attend college. Our study aims to see how libraries are focusing on accessibility needs now or if they still have not thought about this issue. We are surveying small and rural academic libraries specifically to see what services they provide and what services they are aware exist. These services will focus on access to space and materials. The primary areas covered will be reference and circulation. We will discuss barriers to access and ways that libraries have or can support the needs of this group community.