Library services to blind users in digital environment: their fundamental right in the information age

Abstract Published in Seminar Papers 51 st All India Conference: ILA, 2005:p183.Discusses the need of Digital Library for blind users, present condition of blind libraries in India, legal aspects of equal rights to information access by these users in the scenario of library and information, the role of LIS organizations and professionals, guidelines and basics of developing a digital library for visually impaired after understanding the appropriate approaches in respect of utilization of latest technologies

The role of the librarian in providing quality education for the special child, 1985

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of media services and programs to handicapped and gifted children as perceived by the teacher of the special child and by the media specialist. Areas covered include: how materials were selected; the availability of equipment and other materials; how often the library media specialist participated in the instruction of media skills; and the methods employed by the library media specialist to involve himself/herself in the programs for the handicapped and gifted. This study was also designed to determine if library media services to handicapped and gifted children are different from services provided to other children. Methods and Procedures: The author reviewed the literature of special education and library services involving the handicapped and gifted child. A questionnaire was formulated and mailed to fifty teachers of special children and media specialists in the metro-Atlanta area. The counties involved were Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, Dekalb and Douglas. From the responses received, the data were analyzed and presented through the use of tables. Results: Of the fifty media specialists and classroom teachers who were mailed a questionnaire, forty-two were received by the researcher, representing a return rate of eighty-four percent. Results of the survey revealed that the majority of the respondents reported that special adaptations and services should be available for special children. However, one classroom teacher indicated that the library media specialist was not involved with the school's special education program. A library media specialist reported that since the school has no handicapped children, that there is no need for special adaptations or special media services. Conclusions: The primary goal of the library media specialist should be the provision and implementation of media services to all children including the gifted and the handicapped. The library media specialist has a unique opportunity of ensuring the role of the library media center in educating gifted and handicapped children in the future and in further improving the quality of media services to all children

Physically challenged undergraduates‟ satisfaction with library and information services in Kwara State higher institutions

Despite the fact that academic libraries put their effort to satisfy the needs of their users, they however still neglect some group of users (physically challenged) in the information and service provision. This study was therefore undertaken to find out the physically challenged undergraduates satisfaction with library and information services in Kwara State higher education institutions. Survey research design was adopted to give in-depth information about the study while data was collected through questionnaire. Five research questions were answered by study. The results revealed that information needs of the physically challenged undergraduates in various higher institutions are the same. The level of availability and accessibility of information materials and services to these groups of users was also revealed in the study. Limitations such as non-inclusion of the physically challenged students in the decision making process of the library as well as unavailability of specific information materials that suits the disability of the physically challenged students in the library was also identified. Based on these findings, the study recommends training of library staff to meet the needs of physically challenged users and inclusion of these special group