Survey for Library Staff on Accessibility in Canadian Public Libraries

May 26, 2021

Dear Library Staff,

Accessibility for readers with disabilities is increasingly a priority for Canadian public libraries but there are few accessibility resources designed for this sector. With support from the Government of Canada, NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) and CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access) in partnership with eBOUND, are co-leading the Public Libraries Accessibility Resource Centre (PLARC) project. This resource centre will engage with library staff to develop awareness and training in accessibility across all areas of public library services, and help ensure the availability, procurement, and delivery of accessible content.

To ensure these resources truly meet the needs of public libraries, we need your input. We have created a survey to identify the strengths and needs/gaps that exist across the country in each of the various roles.

We invite all library staff to participate in the PLARC Survey, so please share widely with your coworkers, colleagues, and networks.

Depending on your role, the average time to complete this survey is 5-30 minutes. For example, if you are a library page the survey should take you no longer than 5 minutes, but for an accessibility specialist, it may take 30 minutes.

Survey features:

• You can save your responses and return to the survey later so it can be completed as you have time.
• Answers are anonymous
• The survey is available in both English and French.

Survey opens Tuesday, May 25 and closes 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, June 13.

Complete the PLARC survey

Thank you for your support for this exciting project,

On behalf of the PLARC Project Team,

Laurie Davidson (CELA)

Daniella Levy-Pinto (NNELS)

Riane LaPaire (NNELS)

Lindsay Tyler (CELA)

(Via NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) and CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access))