View
216
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
Open Rose Group Paul Conway
Disability Co-ordinator
Sheffield Hallam University
Audrey Cobb
Customer Services Manager
Leeds University
Beginnings
• Formed in January 2003
• 8 University Libraries: BradfordHuddersfieldHull LeedsLeeds Metropolitan SheffieldSheffield HallamYork
Remit
To exchange ideas and discuss policies and procedures in order to move from base-level provision to best practice in the provision of services to disabled library users
Staff Training Video on
Disability Issues
• Film library users with different disabilities
talking about their experience of using Higher
Education libraries
• Footage of disabled students using library
facilities
• Supporting materials to encourage best
practice – worksheets, quizzes and case studies
Benefits to libraries (1)
• Video format allows disability training to be
extended to large numbers of library staff,
many part-time
• Flexibility of video format for group or self-
directed learning
• Selected clips could be used in workshops to
stimulate debate about a particular disability
Benefits to libraries (2)• Springboard for discussion of local library
policy and procedures: to benchmark against practices elsewhere
• A visual aid to vary mode of delivery
• Offers overview of a range of disabilities, useful in new library staff inductions
• Provides firsthand feedback from disabled users: customer focussed ethos
Project history (1)• Detailed costing and worked up proposal
• won SCONUL grant
• Leeds Metropolitan Media Production Unit to produce the video
• Decision to develop a DVD/CD package
• Four sections and key themes: – Mobility: access– Visual: assistive technology– Hearing: communication– Dyslexia: using the library
Project history (2)• Volunteers
• Decision to film at:Leeds and Leeds MetropolitanSheffield HallamHuddersfield
• Small working groups
• Filming April and May 2004
• Editing, subtitling and supporting materials Summer 2004
The end result• Open Rose members – better knowledge of
needs of disabled library users and provision of services and resources in other libraries
• Stimulating staff training resource to facilitate training large numbers of staff in the key area of disability issues
• DVD with supporting material on CD – (£40)
• Detailed report on project for SCONUL Focus
Marketing • openrose@email.com monitored on a rota basis by
members of the group
• Article on DVD in Sconul Focus:http://www.sconul.ac.uk/publications/newsletter/32/21.pdf
• Review of DVD in Sconul Focus: http://www.sconul.ac.uk/publications/newsletter/35/25.pdf
• Article on training using DVD in Sconul Focus:http://www.sconul.ac.uk/publications/newsletter/37/8.pdf
• many ORG members have details of the group on their website e.g.
http://www.shef.ac.uk/library/services/openrose.html
Open Rose Group: other work
• Networking: an excellent source of advice and shared experience; an advisory and support group; keeping up-to-date with developments and contacts
• Liaison with other groups e.g. CLAUD, North West Academic Libraries (NoWAL) group; e-mail messages via the ORG website
Open Rose Group• Audit (comprehensive listing of
resources and services for disabled students at each member University):useful comparisons, statistics
• wiki
• twitter:
Disability Equality Duty
• moving beyond simple compliance with the law to actually meet the real needs of students
• required all public authorities to have a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) on their websites
• Equality Impact Assessments
'reasonable adjustments'
Buildings:
• adjustable furniture on all floors
• low level printers and photocopies on all
floors
• lifts (alternatives when out of order)
• trolleys and baskets on wheels
• wheelchair for use in the library
'reasonable adjustments'
Additional services:
• Roaming Profiles
• Alternative Formats Service
• Extended Loan Service
• Nominated Borrower Service
• Postal Loan Service
• Book collection Service
• Online request forms
• Additional support card
'reasonable adjustments'
Good practice for training sessions (1):
• send copy of ppt/resources to tutor in
advance of session
• podcasts/online tutorials signed
• online workbooks: text versions and
accessible pdfs
'reasonable adjustments'
• Good practice for training sessions (2):
• find out if students have additional needs
• stand in well-lit place away from window
• outline structure/main points at the start;
summarise regularly
• think of alternatives/choices for activities
Obtaining textbooks in
alternative formats• Draft policy statement
– "it is the University's responsibility to ensure that material on a reading list is available in an appropriate format so that all students have equality of opportunity to access reading list materials"
• Students are ideally assessed (e.g. by a Regional Access Centre) and their Learning Contract produced well before the beginning of the academic year
• Tutor has time to let library have relevant reading list in case e-versions of key textbooks may be needed for print impaired students
Procedures
Open Rose Group mindmap:
http://www.techdis.ac.uk/getaltformat
• Items required but not on reading lists: DSA
Book fund?
• e-Books
• Scanning or digitising chapters
• Agree to obtain accessible e-copies of key
textbooks recommended on reading lists
Contacting Publishers (1)
(Open Rose Group proforma e-mail)
Student details required:
name
course and course tutor's name
years of study (occasionally)
duration of course, including end date
(occasionally)
Contacting Publishers (2)
variables:
cost
conditions
speed of response
Contacting Publishers (3)
• Publishers' Look-up site:http://www.publisherlookup.org.uk/
• AAP Publisher Look-up service:http://www.publisherlookup.org/
• TechDis guide to obtaining
alternative formats:http://www.techdis.ac.uk/getaltformat
Publishers' responses (1)
• Free of charge or cost of textbook
• With or without conditions/stipulations,
faxed back to publisher:
– strictly for use of named student
– disk(s) must be destroyed after student
finishes course
Publishers' responses (2)
• e-mailed or made available for a limited
period for download
• Format e.g. pdf file with selectable text
• Only recent titles available electronically:
older titles (i.e.pre-2000) may be
unobtainable
Alternatives• Ask for suggested alternative titles from
tutor – explain difficulties: keep informed
• Subscription to services e.g. Leeds
University Transcription Centre
• Revealweb (http://www.revealweb.org.uk/)
• database of resources available in
alternative formats
Wider issues and
challenges
• Who does the work?
• Who pays?
• Who to inform and when?
• Challenges: time, cost, communication
Any Questions?
Recommended