Public library services for Canadians with print disabilities
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CELAPublic library services for Canadians with print disabilities

Centre for Equitable Library Access
Public library service for Canadians with print disabilities

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  2. Child and Teen Library Accessibility Interest Group

Resources supporting kids and teens with disabilities

Serving kids and teens with disabilities in the library

With the help of our Child and Teen Library Accessibility Interest Group, we’ve assembled resources to support the work libraries are doing to ensuring accessibility for all their users, including those with print disabilities. These links have been carefully chosen to represent accessibility information from credible sources and positively reflect services for people with varying disabilities. Our hope is that you will be inspired by the content in these links, where you’ll find accessibility tips, collection suggestions, communication approaches and programming ideas.

To help you get started, you may wish to learn more about how to talk about people with disabilities, as well as general tips regarding respectful disability etiquette.

  • Identity-first vs. person-first language is an important distinction
  • Disability etiquette: a starting guide

Want to learn more about library services for kids and teens with disabilities?

Join the Child & Teen Library Accessibility Interest Group
 

Woman sitting beside teenage boy with a disability

Accessibility 101

Are you just beginning to learn about accessibility best practices?  These resources will provide you with the basic concepts to create inclusive services at your library.

  • The A11y project
  • What is universal design?
  • How to train your staff on accessibility (AODA)
  • Accessible customer service policy template (AODA)
  • Accessibility Standard for Customer Service (The Accessibility for Manitobans Act)
  • Deaf terminology
  • Guide dogs and service animals (AODA)
Closed captioning icon (CC)

Accessible communications

How we communicate with all our users, and specifically with people with disabilities can set a welcoming tone and an inclusive culture. These resources can help improve accessibility for your library's communications online, in-person, and in print.

  • Access Ability: A practical guide on accessible graphic design (PDF)
  • Captioning in Zoom
  • Accessibility best practices for Zoom meetings
  • W3C image text description
  • Learn augmentative and alternative communication (non-verbal communication technology)
  • How to be a communication partner: augmentative and alternative communication
Boy in front of laptop

Accessible library services

Here are some resources to help you start thinking about incorporating accessibility into all parts of the library.

  • Project ENABLE (disability resources for library staff)
  • Guidelines on library and information services for people with disabilities
  • Accessible Libraries
  • The social model of disability in the children's area
  • Running an inclusive book club
  • Ten accessibility tips for youth and families in the library
Teacher standing

Books and reading

Providing access to reading material is a core part of library services and it's important that those materials are accessible to people with disabilities.

  • What’s early lit for kids who can’t see?
  • All about reading disabilities: dyslexia-related book titles and decodable book publishers
  • IBBY collection for young people with disabilities (Specialized formats such as braille, PCS and sign language)
  • Evaluating Books for the IBBY Collection: disability representation and accessible design
  • Blind accessible comics
     
Toddler sitting with printbraille book on lap

Programming

Learn about delivering storytimes, adapting activities and more.

Accessible library programming for kids and teens

FAQ

How is CELA responding to COVID?

Answer: The health and safety of our staff and patrons is our primary concern.

Read about our COVID plan.

Go to Frequently Asked Questions page

About us

The Centre for Equitable Library Access, CELA, is an accessible library service, providing books and other materials to Canadians with print disabilities.

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CELA welcomes all feedback and suggestions:

  • Join our Educator Advisory Group
  • Apply for our User Advisory Group
  • Share your story or ideas for our site and services
  • Suggest a title for the collection
  • Report a problem with a book

Contact Us

Email us at help@celalibrary.ca or call us at 1-855-655-2273 for support.

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