Assistive Technologies in the Library - Softcover

Mates, Barbara T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 083891070X ISBN 13: 9780838910702

Publisher: ALA Editions, 2011

Synopsis

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 community
  

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

About this title

About the Author

Retiring after 25 years as the head of the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, Barbara T. Mates now works as an independent consultant specializing on topics related to senior services and accessibility options for persons with disabilities. She is a longtime member of ALA s Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), having served as the association president in 2007 2008, and she chaired ALA s 2010 Schneider Family Book Award Committee. Mates has presented numerous papers and workshops across the country, and she is the author of 5-Star Programming and Services for Your 55+ Library Customers (ALA, 2003); Computer Technologies to Aid Special Audiences, which appeared in Library Technology Reports in 2004; and Assistive Technologies for Today s Libraries, for American Libraries (2010). In 2001 Mates received the prestigious Francis Joseph Campbell Award. In 2010 she received the ASCLA 2010 Exceptional Service Award for her advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities and older adults in regards to library services as well as within the ALA infrastructure.
William R. Reed IV is the regional librarian for the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, a part of the Cleveland Public Library. He has spent more than 10 years working in library services to patrons with disabilities and training patrons how to use adaptive computers and technology. He is also very active in ASCLA and is currently chair of the Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (LSSPS).

Edition details

• Publisher: ALA Editions
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 083891070X
• ISBN 13: 9780838910702
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 176