---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1999 14:58:05 -0500
From: "GraceAnne A. DeCandido" <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ARL: Transforming Libraries/Disabilities

January 3, 1999

Dear colleagues and friends,
Happy new year! I am about to embark on a six-
week project for the Association of Research
Libraries, writing another in their ìTransforming
Librariesî series. This one focuses on service to
people with disabilities. ìTransforming Librariesî
attempts to take a snapshot of where academic
libraries are at a particular point in time: in this
one, we are trying to come to grips with a number
of questions about assistive technology.

 We want to know: what kinds of equipment are
college and university libraries using for their
computer setups and screens? Are they designing
equipment themselves? What kinds of vendors are
they using? How are they locating specialized
equipment? How are they getting funding for these
specialized needs?

Are they addressing all kinds of needs, or are they
prioritizing based on specific needs on their own
campus?  Where and how are they getting
information about their specific needs? Are they
working with groups on campus? How are they
letting people know what special arrangements are
or can be made available?

I would be interested in comments in response to
these questions and others; and I am particularly
interested in interviewing librarians who are
responding to these kinds of questions on their
own campuses. I would also like, if possible, to
interview students with disabilities who are using
their college libraries and finding them responsive
to their particular needs. These interviews can be
conducted via e-mail or telephone. I will also be
interviewing people at the American Library
Association Midwinter meeting in Philadelphia Jan
29-Feb 3, 1999.

I am building on some basic information available
from a 95-96 ARL survey (Results of the entire
survey are at
<ftp://www.arl.org/stat/innovate/innov96.txt> The
survey is described
briefly at <http://www.arl.org/stats/specproj/> and
you can get the raw
data there as well). My own credentials and c.v. are
available on my web site, see URL in my sig file,
below.

Please feel free to post this message to other lists
where there may be interest. Thanks very much.
Best,
GraceAnne

GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Blue Roses Editorial and Web Consulting
350 E. 236th St.
Bronx, NY 10470-2104
voice: 718/994-7794  * fax: 718/994-9851
E-mail [log in to unmask]
http://www.well.com/user/ladyhawk/gadhome.html

Jean Ashmore
Director of Services for Disabled Students
Rice University, MS 529, Ley Student Center
6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005
(713)737-5841, FAX (713)285-5199
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
www.rice.edu/dss