Digital Commons Network^™

Disability And Accessibility In The Library And Information Science Literature: A Content Analysis, Heather Hill

FIMS Publications

The library profession is often a strong and vocal proponent of increased access for persons with disabilities. With the profession's long-standing interest in the subject of services to persons with disabilities come questions that get to how the profession perceives the phenomenon. How is library and information science (LIS), as a field, conceptualizing disability and accessibility? The space for examining this question is a content analysis of the LIS literature. The literature provides a fertile ground for study as it reflects the profession's approaches to, and perceptions of, a topic. This research identifies the major issues and trends in the …

Disability And Accessibility In The Library And Information Science Literature: A Content Analysis., Heather Hill

FIMS Publications

Abstract

The library profession is a strong and vocal proponent of increased information access for people with disabilities. With the discipline's longstanding interest in the subject of services to people with disabilities, questions arise about how the profession perceives the phenomenon. How is library and information science (LIS), as a discipline, conceptualizing disability and accessibility? A content analysis of the LIS literature was conducted to examine this question. The literature provides a fertile ground for study as it reflects the profession's approaches to, and perceptions of, a topic. This research identifies the major issues and trends in the research about …

Ontario Public Libraries, Accessibility, And Justice: A Capability Approach., Heather Hill

FIMS Publications

The Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is developing standards for accessibility across the province. The Canadian Library Association has had service standards in place since 1997, so addressing accessibility in Ontario libraries is nothing new. Public libraries are, however facing new challenges to providing service as they transition from non-binding library association policy to binding legislation. This paper outlines a study of accessibility in Ontario public libraries through a capability approach lens as described by Amartya Sen.