What is the digital divide? What does it mean? What steps can/should libraries and information agencies take to narrow or eliminate the gap in services among the various service populations? What role does age and disability have in the digital divide?
Universal Access stands for people of all ages and physiological abilities within all libraries, but complications arise with the digital divide. This can be anything that stops a person from using electronics, such as a computer or the Internet. Jessamyn West, in her lecture to the Michigan Library Association 2011 Midwinter Conference, and in her book Without a Net: Librarians Bridging the Digital Divide states:
“The digital divide isn’t really about not knowing how to use a computer, though many people I work with can’t. The digital divide is about not knowing anyone who knows how to use a computer well enough to teach you. It’s about not being part of a tech-literate culture and not knowing a way out of that setting” (West xxiii).
West then goes on to explain some basics of teaching computer literacy skills to beginners. While she does touch on the topic of disabilities, this article will be about the aging people with disabilities. This is a group of people who may know people that are tech-literate, but librarians may not know how to help them with their individual needs.
For a person that has trouble seeing, they may need the font larger in order to see read the computer screen. If someone’s hearing is weak, having a headset with increased volume for the computer or having sets available to loan can help. Barbara Mates wrote a book called Assistive Technologies in the Library that is published by the ALA. She talks about “Seeing the Bigger Picture (Large-Print-Access Technology Solutions),” “When Computers Talk (Listening to the Web and Printed Materials),” “Touching the Internet (Braille Access to the Internet),” and “Seeing the Sounds (Technologies for Persons with Hearing Impairments)” (Mates v). Mates does a good job explaining the steps to make libraries accessible to everyone, such as having a committee that decides what steps are needed to be completed first, and how to work on fundraising and grant writing.
Another ALA publishing is the handout Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ Your Library. This eight-page handout is full of information about helping older adults access library services. It begins by defining older adults. The definition ranges from active older adults having their own transportation to frail elders who are usually the oldest adults and have various disabling conditions (Keys 1). This article also talks about starting a committee to decide what needs to be done in the local community as well as discusses working with the local community (2).
References
Keys to engaging older adults @ your library (2010). Chicago, IL: American Library
Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/toolkits/olderadults/oat.sequential.pdf
Mates, B. (2011). Assistive technologies in the library. Chicago, IL: American Library
Association. Retrieved from
West, J. C. (2011). Without a Net: Librarians Bridging the Digital Divide. Santa
Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
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