As a library student doing an internship assisting a library with a
Department of Vocational Rehabilitation project I am very interested in ADA
compliance.  The focus of the project is to develop a model for assistive
technology for small public libraries.

I have been talking with both academic and public libraries in the Madison,
Wisconsin area about their ADA compliance efforts in recent years.  And in
both settings the same pattern of use of assistive technology such as
access the catalog, voice output/input readers etc. has occured.  The model
has been to "build it and they will come" and they don't come for a variety
of reasons.  It is impossible to pin it on one reason.  Many times patron
needs vary with the individual and the equipment doesn't work for them.
Some patrons say they would rather have their own equipment that can be
tailored to their needs.  Or as in the public library, the Dynix catalogue
interface with voice output and magnification is too difficult or
unpleasant to use. While well intentioned these efforts for the most part
are not reaching the people that they are intended to reach and equipment
is not utilized.

Granted many of the small libraries this project intends to address have
barriers of access of entering the building. But with only a novice
knowledge, I wonder if with the advent of on-line catalogs and library web
access that patrons with disabilities have more remote access needs.  Are
their needs better addressed from an outreach approach of technical support
and home services?  Is a more individualized approach needed? Are libraries
in a position to facilitate these efforts?  Has anyone addressed this angle
of the access question?

Carolyn
U-W Madison
Library and Information Studies