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Subject:
From:
"Audrey J. Gorman" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Library Access -- http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Date:
Wed, 30 Oct 2002 15:40:51 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
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Chris,

Congratulations to the I. D. Weeks Library and the University of South
Dakota!

What kind and scope of training on the hardware and software is being
provided to participants? By whom? The material I've seen thus far hasn't
been clear about this aspect of the initiative. Do you get to choose what
software you'll get? I have many more questions, but I'll leave it at that
for now.

When I was at ALA, I wrote a document on accessible library workstations
that can be found on the ASCLA web site at
http://www.ala.org/ascla/pdf/access_libr_workstation.doc This is the Word
version; it's also there in PDF.

I think that the ASCLA-HP effort is wonderful. Anything else any of us can
do to bring assistive technology into the mainstream of library services in
all types of libraries is to be encouraged. Special thanks and recognition
should go to libraries who have been leading the way. I can't begin to do
an exhaustive list here, but a few I can bring to mind right now are Cle
veland Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, the University of
Wisconsin, the University of Toronto, Louisville Public Library, Lee County
(FL) Public Library, Broward County (FL) Library, and the Brooklyn Public
Library. If I left your library out and you should be in this list, it's
due to iffy brain chemistry on my part. Please speak up and add to the
list!

For those of you who don't already know, I also originated the
Accessibility Pavilion at ALA Annual Conference and had the first exhibit
of integrated accessible workstations there in 2001. I'm now a consultant
and have developed an accessible library workstation package in
collaboration with Assistive Technologies, Inc. We showed it for the first
time in September at the Illinois Library Association Conference. For more
information, log on to my web site or theirs.

Best,
Audrey

Audrey J. Gorman
Access for All
Naperville, IL, USA

[log in to unmask]
Mobile: 630-661-9062
Office: 630-717-7336
http://www.accessall.net
=================================================
Log onto http://www.assistivetechnologies.com, click on library stuff!
=================================================
"The power of the Web is in its universality.
Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect"
Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the WWW
=================================================


-----Original Message-----
From:   Bloss, Christopher [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Saturday, October 26, 2002 11:05 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: NIST UNVEILS DEVICE FOR BLIND TO UNDERSTAND IMAGES

For what it's worth:

__________________________________

The University of South Dakota's I.D. Weeks Library was recently awarded
a Library Technology Access (LTA) initiative grant.  LTA is a strategic
initiative developed from a relationship between Hewlett-Packard (HP)
and the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (a
division of ALA) to provide public and academic libraries a solution in
offering accessible computer workstations to patrons with disabilities.
I.D. Weeks is one of two academic libraries in the United States to
receive the LTA initiative grant.

LTA offered six award packages-four to public libraries and two to
academic libraries-as a pilot project for this grant initiative. Besides
the University of South Dakota, grant initiatives were also awarded to
Cleveland Public Library, Milwaukee Public Library, Johnson County
Public Library (Kansas), San Diego Public Library, and Arizona State
University. Explaining the impact of the first round of LTA grant
initiatives Jim Weynard, vice president and general manager for HP
Public Sector Organization said, "The Library Technology Access program
demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships that increase the
access to technology for persons with disabilities."

The LTA initiative grant award includes ergonomic furniture, a Compaq
Evo PC, an HP Scanjet scanner and HP LaserJet printer, Microsoft(r)
Office software and a wide array of assistive technology products which
will aid us in "leveling the playing field" of library use and research
for patrons with disabilities.  These workstations are designed to
address specific needs by our patrons with visual, hearing, mobility, or
learning disabilities.

The LTA computer workstations will be available in the library on the
first floor reference area in the near future.  If you have questions or
need more information, please feel free to contact me.

--Chris

Chris Bloss
Assistant Professor and
Instructional Services Librarian
414 E. Clark
I.D. Weeks Library
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD 57069
Office:  (605) 677-6615
Fax:  (605) 677-5488
Email:  [log in to unmask]

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