Library Accessibility Guide: Individuals with Disabilities

Academic libraries are under federal legal obligation to ensure their facilities, services and resources are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Section 508 of the amendments of 1998.
• The American Disabilities Act (1990) and it's subsequent amendments in 2008.
• The Assistive Technology Act of 2004, a reauthorization of the 1998 Act.

Once legislation is established, regulations from government agencies led to accessibility standards and concerns about applications of the law in libraries, K-12 schools, and higher education.

• The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division.
• The June 2010 Electronic Book Reader Dear Colleague Letter from the DOJ and the DOE Civil Rights Divisions.  This letter followed legal action by the National Federation for the Blind against non-accessible Kindles being used in colleges and universities.
• The 21st Century Communications and Video Act (CVAA) was enacted into law in 2010 to ensure that new communications and media technology such as VoIP are accessible to users with disabilities.
• In January 2017, the U.S. Access Board published a final rule updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The National Library Service, throughout a network of cooperating regional and subregional libraries located throughout the United States and its territories and to American citizens abroad, provides over 200,000 books and magazines in audio, braille, and e-braille.

• Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) is a web-based service that provides access to thousands of special-format books, magazines, and music scores through an app. Click here to register.
• NYC's regional library is located at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library (NYPL),40 West 20th Street New York, NY 1001. Visit their website at link.