Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Library services are available to everyone. It’s even in Wisconsin law that public libraries have to be accessible to people with special needs. However, predicting which special needs to accommodate in communities can be challenging. Paying special attention to the needs in your community, particularly for those who are underserved or underrecognized, can help fix procedures that stand in the way of serving everyone. Now, there is a tool under "Resources" on the DPI Inclusive Services Page to support this work called the Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide for Wisconsin Public Libraries.
A new video helps explain how to make library services inclusive based on support from the guide.
Inclusion is not a one-size-fits-all concept, nor a one-time challenge to be solved. The checklist and supporting resources found in the guide are meant to help individual libraries evaluate current services as well as plan for the future.
The Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide was designed by Wisconsin public library and system staff for Wisconsin public library directors, staff, and boards with the intent to foster library environments where everyone feels safe, welcomed, and respected. This resource was developed to support libraries in implementing the Inclusive Services Statement. In addition, this resource intentionally complements the 2018 Wisconsin Public Library Standards.
For more information, visit the DPI Inclusive Services web page.
Subscriber Submission: Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, DPI Public Library Youth and Inclusive Services Consultant