Disabled Friendly Library: Indicators and Requirements

 The disabled like others, need information and information acquisition skills to play a positive role in society. By providing a variety of resources and information services, the public library has an important role in providing services to the community, including the disabled, and can provide the background and opportunity for the presence of the disabled in society. The purpose of this study is to identify the requirements and characteristics of a disability-friendly public library.

 The study was a descriptive applied study using a content analysis method and systematic search, to identify the requirements of public libraries to provide services to the disabled, in Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed. From the search in 4 databases, 738 documents were retrieved. Initially, all bibliographic information of articles and sources found from four databases were examined, extracted, and entered into EndNote X7 software, and duplicates were removed. In the next step, the titles of the remaining articles were examined. After reading the abstract of the remaining articles, if the article was deemed appropriate, their full text was studied. Finally, 40 documents were examined.

The indicators and requirements used in public libraries in providing services to the disabled were divided into seven categories. In the category of policy and budget, the existence of appropriate policies and guidelines in the library to provide services to the disabled, in the category of advertising and development of services, the use of various methods of informing library services, in the category of accessibility and physical condition of the library, Existence of appropriate signs and boards to guide different sections of the library, in the category of services and programs, placing the safe desk in a suitable place and its availability for all groups, in the category of human resources and training, the presence of trained staff in The field of providing services to the disabled, in the category of collections, the existence of books in various formats and the category of equipment and information technology, the existence of assistive technologies (CCTV, Braille printers, screen magnification, etc.) have had the highest frequency.

 Identifying the services needed by the disabled and the characteristics of a library for the disabled can help in making informed decisions to provide appropriate services in libraries, especially public libraries. Public libraries must provide facilities and features for people with disabilities to use the services and access the information they need. Libraries should, in addition to assessing the needs of different groups of people with disabilities and the organizations and associations that support them, have the necessary planning and budget by providing the appropriate collection, accessible building, various services and programs, and the existence of various equipment and technologies.