Library Equipment & Facilities Management: Access to Facilities & ADA Issues
Information and links about accessibility & ADA, environmental concerns, ergonomics, safety, and security.
Equity of Access
- Equity and the American Library Association (Intro to Rocks in the Whirlpool)Written by Nancy Kranich, ALA President 2000-2001.
- Rocks in the Whirlpoolwritten by Kathleen de la Peña McCook, distinguished university professor at University of South Florida, May 2002
- Equity of Access - Key Action AreaThe Association advocates funding and policies that support libraries as great democratic institutions, serving people of every age, income level, location, ethnicity, or physical ability, and providing the full range of information resources needed to live, learn, govern, and work.
Mobile Libraries
- Mobile librariesA compilation of a brief history, resources, ADA compliance information.
ADA and Libraries
The minimum required space between the stacks for wheelchair access is 36 inches (see illustration in ADAAG). The space that is preferred – and this word makes the difference -- is 42 inches. The guidelines are somewhat awkwardly worded in this regard, and so the illustration and the text are both needed to make it clear. See the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Shelf height in stack areas is unrestricted.
You can contact the U.S. Access Board with any questions -- http://www.access-board.gov/contact-us
- ADAAG: Section 8 LibrariesADA Accessibility Guidelines (with illustrations)
- Association of Specialized, Government and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASGCLA)A division of ALA that maintains resources on libraries and ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act
- U.S. Access Board - contactContact information for any questions about ADA.