A library environment for everyone: Universal design and libraries  

Andrea  Miller-­‐Nesbi/  &  Tanja  Beck  –  McGill  University  Evidence  Based  Library  and  Informa4on  Prac4ce  Annual  Conference  July  16th,  2013  

hCp://Gaederfia.se/2012/07/31/library-­‐of-­‐secrets/  

Outline

•  Context  

•  Methods  

•  Results  

•  Future  work  

•  Ques4ons  

Canadian context

                         

4

6

8

10

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

%

year

Percentage  of  undergraduate  students  who  self-­‐iden4fy  as  having  a  disability    

(Canadian  University  Survey  Consor4um,  2011)  

McGill context

•  2  campuses  •  11  faculBes    •  11  schools  •  12  branch  libraries  •  1,  636  faculty    •  37,  835  students  •  1,  311  students  registered  with  the    Office  for  Students  with  DisabiliBes  

OSD registered students

Organic  impairment  

15%  

Pervasive  develop.  disorder  

1%  

Motor  impairment  

11%  

Visual  impairment  2%  

Mul4ple  impairments  

17%  

Learning  disability  13%  

ACen4on  Deficit  Disorder  13%  

Hearing  impairment  1%  

Mental  health  disorder  27%  

OSD registered students

Organic  impairment  

15%  

Pervasive  develop.  disorder  

1%  

Motor  impairment  

11%  

Visual  impairment  2%  

Mul4ple  impairments  

17%  

Learning  disability  13%  

ACen4on  Deficit  Disorder  13%  

Hearing  impairment  1%  

Mental  health  disorder  27%  

hCp://www.montrealgazeCe.com/health/Accessible+learning+students+with+disabili4es/7778105/story.html    

Universal design

“The  design  of  products  and  environments  to  be  usable  by  all  people,  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  without  the  need  for  adaptation  or  specialized  design.”  

(Connell,  B.,    et  al.,  1997)    

“Signpost”  symbol  by  The  Noun  Project  taken  from  the  Noun  Project  collec4on  (blog.thenounproject.com/)    

7 Principles of Universal Design

1.       Equitable  use  2.       Flexibility  in  use  3.       Simple  and  intui4ve  use  4.       Percep4ble  informa4on  5.       Tolerance  for  error  6.       Low  physical  effort  7.       Size  and  space    

(Connell,  B.,    et  al.,  1997)  

Methods

 1.  Assessment  of  branch  libraries  

 2.  User  survey  

Assessment of branches AT’s  up  to  date   AT’s  in  accessible  area   Spirit  scanner   Print  enlarger  

Birks   N/A   N/A   No   No  

EducaBon   Yes   Yes,  but  no  privacy   Yes,  but  inaccessible  loca4on  

No  

•  Entrance/stacks  clear  of  obstruc4ons  

•  Wheelchair  accessible  

•  High  contrast  direc4onal  signs  

•  Descrip4on  of  study  areas  

•  Adjustable  ligh4ng  

•  Adjustable  worksta4ons  

•  Computer  monitor  size  

•  Availability  of  headphones  

•  Availability  of  adap4ve  technologies  

•  Accurate  floor  plans  

•  Accessibility  of  teaching  room  

•  Spirit  scanner  and  print  enlarger  

•  Accurate  floor  plans  

•  Existence  of  a  Policy  

(Burgstahler,  S.,  2012)  

Online Guide

Online guide

Methods

 1.  Assessment  of  branch  libraries  

 2.  User  survey  

hCp://4tutes.webs.com/images/do_paid_surveys_for_cash.jpg  

User survey - Design

•  Designed  survey  with  the  assistance  of  the  manager  of  student  assessment  

•  10  ques4ons,  mix  of  mul4ple  choice,  5  point  Likert  scale  and  open  comment    

•  Link  to  online  survey  sent  by  email  in  late  September  2012  

•  Sent  3  email  reminders  over  the  course  of  1  month  

•  No  incen4ve  offered  

 hCp://4tutes.webs.com/images/do_paid_surveys_for_cash.jpg  

User survey - Population

•  Survey  sent  to  all  second  year  and  above  OSD  registered  students  (N=918)  

•  Response  rate  was  11%  (n=101)  

•  Distribu4on  of  respondents  by  level  of  study  and  faculty  was  representa4ve  of  OSD  registered  students  

hCp://www.clker.com/cliparts/M/X/E/o/Y/8/popula4on.svg  

User survey - Population

79%  

21%  

Undergraduate  

Graduate  

Level  of  Study  

User survey - Population

44%  

19%  

11%  

6%  

5%  

4%  

3%  

3%  

2%  

1%  

1%  

Arts  

Science  

Agricultural  &  Environmental  Sciences  

Law  

Con4nuing  Educa4on  

Engineering  

Arts  &  Science  

Educa4on  

Management  

Medicine  

Music  

Faculty  

Reasons for favorite library Library  materials  housed  

Convenient  locaBon  

Study  environment  

FaciliBes   Technology  

Birks  reading  room   17%   100%  

Educa4on  Library   17%   33%   83%   17%   17%  

Geographic  Informa4on  Centre   50%   50%   25%   25%  

Humani4es  and  Social  Sciences  Library   41%   72%   47%   25%   3%  

Islamic  Studies  Library   33%   100%  

Law  Library   25%   58%   67%  

Life  Sciences  Library   25%   100%  

MacDonald  Campus  Library   29%   57%   71%  

Music  Library   29%   43%   100%   29%  

Math  and  Sta4s4cs  Library   100%  

Library  of  Science  and  Engineering   64%   91%   9%  

Experience with Library webpage

66%  

44%  

35%  

32%  

34%  

56%  

65%  

68%  

Finding  specific  informa4on  for  students  with  disabili4es    

Ease  of  naviga4on  

Finding  informa4on  for  research    

Finding  informa4on  about  a  library    

Poor/Fair   Good/Excellent  

Library workshops

9%  

3%  

38%  

34%  

25%  

34%  

63%  

50%  

72%  

53%  

Are  easy  to  understand  

Include  varied  delivery  formats  (groups  discussion,  visual  presenta4on,  etc.)  

Make  resources  available  before  or  arer  the  session(s)  

Are  offered  in  comfortable  and  easily-­‐accessible  loca4ons    

Strongly  disagree  /  disagree   Neutral   Agree/Strongly  agree  

Library improvements – Top 10

1.  Improvement  of  privacy-­‐related  study  space  features  (66%)  

2.  Adjustable  chairs  (49%)  3.  Areas  for  group  study  for  up  to  4  

students  (46%)  4.  Adjustable  ligh4ng  (44%)  5.  Adjustable  or  variable  height  desks  

(35%)  

Library improvements – Top 10

6.  Ease  of  use  of  the  library  website  (34%)  

7.  Improvement  of  floor  plans  (33%)  

8.  Larger  computer  monitors  (20%)  

9.  Availability  of  accessible  worksta4ons  with  adap4ve  sorware  (18%)  

10.  Areas  for  group  study  for  groups  of  10  or  more  (11%)  

Select comments

“As  a  blind  student,  I  find  the  library  website  difficult  to  navigate.    It’s  confusing  when  trying  to  search  for  specific  4tles/informa4on  online”  

“…the  libraries  feel  very  impersonal  and  it  is  difficult  for  OSD  students  to  get  the  most  out  of  their  studying”  

“Any  accessibility  features…could  also  be  men4oned  during  workshops  /  info  sessions  for  all  students  to  hear”  

“…a  couple  of  worksta4ons  in  each  area  could  be  designated  and  ler  in  large  print  mode”  

“Walking  to  the  libraries  is  not  very  accessible…too  many  stairs  or  

have  to  go  around  the  library  to  

access”    

Recommendations

1.  Branch  recommenda4ons  

2.  Website  recommenda4ons  

3.  Recommenda4ons  for  staff  

4.  System-­‐wide  recommenda4ons  

Branch recommendations

•  Humani4es  and  Social  Sciences  Library  •  Provide  elevator  access  to  Cybertheque  •  Soundproof  group  study  rooms  

•  Schulich  Library  of  Science  and  Engineering  •  Have  adapted  worksta4ons  on  all  floors  •  Include  loca4on  of  adapted  worksta4ons  in  floor  plan  

•  Macdonald  campus  Library  •  Install  automa4c  door  to  accessible  washroom  •  Have  21  inch  computer  monitors    

Website recommendations and recommendations for staff

•  Website  •  Improve  informa4on  for  students  with  disabili4es  on  website  •  Update  all  floor  plans  highligh4ng  adapted  worksta4ons,  different  

study  areas,  etc.  •  Conduct  website  usability  tes4ng  with  OSD  registered  students  

•  Staff  •  Create  basic  and  advanced  close-­‐cap4oned  online  tutorials  •  Become  familiar  with  adap4ve  sorwares  •  Provide  consulta4ons  via  Skype  

System-wide recommendations

•  Create  set  of  standard  prac4ces  regarding  service  to  people  with  disabili4es    

•  Provide  regular  training  for  staff  

•  Create  list  of  resources  for  students  with  disabili4es  

•  Inves4gate  accessibility  features  of  licensed  products  

Future work

•  Create  short  videos  highligh4ng  the  accessibility  features  of  each  branch  

•  Conduct  regular  accessibility  assessments  

•  Conduct  focus  groups  to  determine  further  gaps  

•  Solicit  staff  input  

•  Increase  collabora4on  between  library,  disability,  and  informa4on  technology  services  

Acknowledgements

Special  thanks  to  Maximilian  Feinsot  for  his  help  with  the  assessment  of  branches  and  work  on  the  survey.    Thanks  also  to  Lina  Di  Genova  for  her  help  with  survey  design,  distribu4on  and  data  collec4on.    

Questions? Comments?  

 

hCp://blogs.cbu.ca/wp-­‐content/uploads/2010/12/MC900438842.jpg  

Andrea  Miller-­‐Nesbi/      Tanja  Beck  Life  Sciences  Library            Office  for  Students  with  Disabili4es  andrea.miller-­‐nesbiC@mcgill.ca      tanja.beck@mcgill.ca  (514)  398-­‐1663              (514)  398-­‐6009  hCp://www.slideshare.net/andreaemn    

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