Assistive Technology LT 130 2024

What makes a good makerspace? Well, that really depends on where and for who you are making the makerspace for? This has been a new but fast moving concept for libraries everywhere and now, maybe you need some help developing your own space. Kristin Fontichiario has some ideas on how to do these types of spaces. The makerspace, as she says, should serve the population it is for and that will very much differ depending on what kind of library you’re making it in: school, academic or public library. Some questions you need to ask yourself when putting these spaces together are: What do the students or patrons need and what do they want? Will your space enhance their curriculum or not? Maybe have patrons of your library give ideas on what they need whether it be certain technology, media or physical space. You then want to make sure you have the right budget for these things and if you don’t, what is more important to have then not? You then want to give certain guidelines or policies th...

Access for all in technology usually is summed up with audiobooks, books in braille or even digital books. However, pouring money into these types of accessible media can make or break a budget of a library, especially if the library is underfunded for reasons such as the area around being low-income. That is why many librarians may find the task of being more inclusive with library media can be difficult. This is why finding low cost alternatives for books on the shelves is key to any library. There are many ways a librarian can adapt books to suit the needs of all patrons, in fact, librarians have been adapting books since 1854 for blind patrons according to Cathy Galyon. Some of these adapted story books may be in traditional format, but have interactive elements added on each page. Librarians can transform an existing storybook into a digital storybook using software like PowerPoint to add sounds or animation to the story, even adding a narrator’s voice that is reading the story ou...

  The impact of Mobile technology and Libraries In an era where technology permeates every aspect of our lives, libraries are not exempt for this wave of digital transformation. One of the most significant  advancements in recent years is the integration of mobile technology within library services. This fusion of tradition and innovation is reshaping how libraries operate and how patrons access and interact with information. So examples of these: Mobile Apps for Libraries Mobile apps have become a cornerstone of modern library services.  Libraries worldwide are developing custom apps to provide users with access to their catalogs, account management and digital resources. These apps allow patrons to search for books, reserve titles, renew loans, and even pay fines from the convenience of their smartphones. For instance The Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library offers users the ability to browse the vast digital collection of e-books, and listen to audiobooks on the g...

Library In-Hand: Mobile Technology and Libraries        In recent years, smartphones have seemingly become ubiquitous in everyday life. We use it to communicate with everyone we know, to check our emails, search the internet, and most conveniently, it fits in our pocket. Libraries had to quickly adapt to disseminating digital resources through mobile technology. “Mobile Technology will help both novice and experienced librarians to stay relevant in an increasingly mobile society.” (Saxena 2). Mobile technology present opportunities for libraries to reach a wider audience through mobile services. Also, it is inevitable for libraries to distribute information in this way.      Though it is practical and a must to have library resources accesibile through mobile devices, library staff have to invest time figuring out practical ways to implement these mobile services successfully. A psychological focus study in the United Arab Emirates did a study on the ...

Assistive Technology and Libraries Does investing in Assistive Technologies automatically create benefits for disabled patrons? In the article “Analyzing Service Divide in Academic Libraries for Better Serving Disabled Patrons Using AssistiveTechnologies”, written by Devendra Potnis and Kevin Mallary, suggests that it might not. The article notes that libraries are unable to adequately meet those patrons’ needs. “Many individuals with severe cognitive disabilities... do not receive adequate accommodations to promote success.” (Potnis & Mallary, 2021 pg 880). So what are some of the challenges academic libraries encounter when offering these services to patrons with disabilities through Assistive Technologies? (from here on assistive technology will be referred to as AT) Resource Allocation: Ensuring adequate funding and resources for acquiring and maintaining AT can be difficult. Budgets often limit the ability to update or purchase current AT devices and software. Training Experti...

  Image Source:  https://stock.adobe.com/images/google-company-logo-with-arrows-pointing-up-financial-growth-concept-data-transfer-upload-concept-republic-of-moldova-16-march-2021/420574519?prev_url=detail 14 years ago Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, wrote the article “A Book Grab by Google” on the impending monopoly Google Books could have on the digitization of books as publishers and authors battled over the rights Google had over the use of materials for digitization. With a tool for searching becoming a bookstore, Google’s project of scanning digitized materials en masse would create a situation where they could take unclaimed materials as their own, creating a situation where, as the article puts “Google will have permission to bring under its sole control information that has been accessible through public institutions for centuries.” While that settlement did not go through, the risk of a monopoly still hangs around to this day. Just in the past year, ...

  Google Books Google has partnered up with several libraries and is looking to scan books into their system, making it easier for researchers and students to find books they may have never been able to find before. “The project involves libraries at Harvard and Stanford Universities, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the University of Oxford, in England, as well as the New York Public Library” (Carlson). As far as equity and assistive technology are concerned, this may be a huge boon. People who are unable to make it to the library for whatever reason, or who may have trouble searching for the correct resources, can use Google Books to help them find what they need.  This project could come with some downsides though. Steven J. Bell states that the program should be viewed with a “dose of ‘healthy skepticism’ about the project. ‘Google is probably not going to do anything that doesn't have a profit return on it,’ Mr. Bell said. ‘What does that mean? Are peopl...