Comments on: Community Gathering

By: Michael Colford

Michael Colford — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:57:13 +0000

Upon further examination of the proposed outcomes, you will find reference to accessibility issues under User-Centered Institution (BPL needs to be committed to serving people w/ special needs with a core commitment to universal design, expressed especially through the availability of assistive technology on all public computers (esp. magnification (zoom text) and text to speech). Access to track balls, speech to text (Dragon or others), optical magnification (such as Kurzweil), and other special assistive technologies should be easy and available everywhere), however we will definitely add something under Community Gathering as well.

By: Michael Colford

Michael Colford — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:40:20 +0000

Great suggestion, and clearly one that is vital to work toward as an outcome. Rest assured that we are keeping accessibility in mind and will add it to our outcomes.

By: Peggy Hopper

Peggy Hopper — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:28:52 +0000

Access for the disabled is very important and rarely taken into account. Besides illnesses and accidents which can make a person permanently or temporarily disabled, just plain aging is often disabling. As I and my friends move through our 60 & 70′s and contemplate our futures, stairs will become impossible in many cases.

By: Abigail Norman

Abigail Norman — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:45:55 +0000

I notice that you do not list one extremely important element to achieving accessibility: handicapped accessibility. Without this, so many people in Boston are not able to fully use the library, one of our most important resources. Please add this to your list.

By: Don Haber

Don Haber — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:33:37 +0000

Yes, something is definitely missing! What about making all of the library’s buildings accessible to everybody? For several years, I have raised the issue of needing to make all of the library’s buildings fully ADA compliant at numerous library and community meetings, yet that outcome is nowhere to be found on this list even though the Compass Principle clearly says that the goal is to provide “accessible … facilities throughout the City.” The BPL will never be “Free To All” as inscribed in granite on its facade unless and until every building in the system is fully ADA compliant and accessible to every person no matter what their physical limitations may be. Please include: “Make all library buildings fully ADA compliant” in your list of outcomes from which to choose.

By: theszak

theszak — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:44:56 +0000

Librarians Against DRM
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/Librarians-Against-DRM