Disability Awareness Training for Libraries
The Open Rose Group was formed in January 2003 by staff who supported people with disabilities at eight University Libraries in the Yorkshire area:
- Bradford
- Huddersfield
- Hull
- Leeds
- Leeds Metropolitan
- Sheffield
- Sheffield Hallam
- York
The group membership ranged from Library staff whose full-time role involved supporting people with disabilities to staff for whom this role was merely one of several responsibilities.
Although membership has changed since its formation, York no longer having a representative, the Open Rose Group has remained faithful to its original commitment 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.
In view of the importance of staff training on disability issues extending to all members of library staff, many of them part-time and weekend workers, the ORG submitted a group application for the SCONUL Award for Staff Development 2003. This successful application funded the collaborative development of a staff training DVD and supporting materials for use in training library staff on disability issues.
The supporting materials in the DVD package have been updated; the film remains unchanged as the issues raised are as relevant now as they were in 2005 when the DVD was first issued.
The supporting materials now consist of quizzes, group discussions and practical exercises, with a new element: training tips, which briefly illustrate how the pack has been used and adapted by ORG members. One new activity has been included within each main section and all the resources and web sites cited have been updated.
The training package provides an audiovisual aid which could be used in a variety of ways:
- The flexibility of the DVD format makes it suitable for group or self-directed learning
- The complete film offers a useful overview of a range of disabilities, for use in an induction session on disability issues
- Selected clips can be used in workshops concentrating on individual disabilities in order to stimulate discussion about that disability
- The film can be used as a springboard for discussion of local library policy and procedures and to benchmark against practices elsewhere
The DVD covers four key areas of disability: dyslexia; hearing; mobility; and vision. Each section is clearly broken down into short (typically 2-3 minute) sub-sections, covering a wide range of issues, thus:
Dyslexia
- Induction and user education
- Staff and services
- Using OPACs
- Finding material
- Assistive technology
- Coping with change
Hearing
- British Sign Language
- Communication
- Environment and safety
- Visual aids
- Library services
- Perception and awareness
Mobility
- Access
- Library support
- Induction
- Library services
- Awareness and assumptions
Vision
- Assistive technology
- Learning environment
- Access to information
- Library support
- Transcription centre service
The cost of the updated product remains £40 including VAT and p&p. (the film is on DVD, the supporting materials on CD
The Open Rose Group is currently working on a project to obtain alternative formats for print impaired students - find out more at: