University libraries: The role of an accessible campus on the inclusion of users with special needs

DINIZ, Isabel Cristina dos Santos; ALMEIDA, Ana Margarida; FURTADO, Cassia Cordeiro

doi:10.1590/2318-0889201931e180029

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original • Transinformação 31 • 2019 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2318-0889201931e180029 copy

University libraries: The role of an accessible campus on the inclusion of users with special needs

Bibliotecas universitárias: o papel de um campus acessível na inclusão de usuários com necessidades especiais

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary results of an ongoing research that seeks to diagnose inclusive practices in Brazilian and Portuguese university libraries, particularly in what concerns to the role of an accessible campus on the inclusion of users with special needs. The results were collected through an online questionnaire applied to 87 library directors (54 Brazilian and 33 Portuguese). Fifty valid answers were collected (28 Brazilian and 22 Portuguese).The results allowed to identify accessibility issues, namely in what regards to the access to the campus and to the lack of teams of librarians with specific skills to aid and assist these users. We conclude that many of these libraries are integrated in campuses without accessible infrastructure, and therefore, are not able to promote the inclusion of the students with special needs. Respondents say they are aware of their limitations and weaknesses when facing this challenge and show openness to change their practices and attitudes towards a new future scenario in which they could build solutions to improve the accessibility and inclusion in these libraries.

Keywords
Accessibility; Assistive Technologies; Inclusive Library; Special Needs; University Library

Age group (years)									Gender
Nationality	31 to 40	41 to 50		+50			Total		Female			Male		Total
Brazilian	10	5		13			28		22			6		28
Portuguese	3	11		8			22		21			1		22
Total	13	16		21			50		43			7		50
Academic level
Nationality	Graduation/ Degree		Specialization			Master				Doctorate		Post-Doctorate			Total
Brazilian	1		8			12				6		1			28
Portuguese	3		9			7				3		0			22
Total	4		17			19				9		1			50
Length of service (years)
Nationality	1 to 5	6 to 10			11 to 20			21 to 30			31 to 40		+40			Total
Brazilian	1	11			2			9			5		0			28
Portuguese	0	2			8			7			3		2			22
Total	1	13			10			16			8		2			50

Campus Infrastructure
Nº	Questions (Q)
Q1	Does the Campus have public transport lines (bus or bus) adapted for the transport of people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility, according to NBR 14022/2011 (BR) or Decree-Law nº163/2006 (PT)?
Q2	Is there a route between boarding/landing public buses to the entrance of the library free of obstacles (steps, concrete blocks/cement, grills or spare iron bars on the floor)?
Q3	Does the Campus offer parking with preferential places for people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility?
Q4	Does the library have a parking lot with preferential spaces for people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility?
Q5	If the car park has 11 to 100 places, are at least three of the spaces preferred for people with physical limitations or reduced mobility? (For a parking of up to 10 places, there is no legal provision, however, it is recommended to reserve at least one preferred place)?
Q6	If the car park has more than 100 places, at least 1% of the places is preferred for people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility?
Q7	Do the preferred places for people with physical limitations or reduced mobility have horizontal (painted on the floor) and vertical sign using the international access symbol? (It is also recommended that the place may present a written sign with the information regarding the reservation status of the place and the target public).
Q8	Are the preferential places located on a flat floor?
Q9	Do the preferential places have an additional traffic space of at least 1,00 m to 1,20 m wide when away from the pedestrian crosswalk, in order to avoid the movement of people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility between vehicles?
Q10	Are preferential places connected to the lowering part of the sidewalk and/or ramp to facilitate the access of people in wheelchairs and/or people with locomotion difficulty?
Q11	Are preferred places connected to an accessible track that connects to the library or building in which it is located, free of obstacles such as steps, concrete blocks, grills, or spare iron bars on the floor? (It is recommended that preferred places may be as close as possible to the main entrance or optional accessible track of the library).
Q12	If it’s not possible to have an accessible track between the parking lot and the accessible entrances of the library, are there parking spaces exclusively for people with physical limitations or reduced mobility connected to the entrances through accessible tracks?
Q13	Does the path between the buildings and the library have steps?
Q14	Does the path between the buildings and the library have ramps?
Q15	If there is a ramp, is the slope measured in accordance with NBR 9050/2015 (BR) or Decree-Law nº 163/2006 (PT)?
Q16	Is the minimum ramp width between buildings 1.20m to 1.50m (Decree-Law nº163/2006 or NBR 9050/2015)?
Q17	Are there handrails on both sides of the ramp?

Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas Núcleo de Editoração SBI - Campus II - Av. John Boyd Dunlop, s/n. - Prédio de Odontologia, Jd. Ipaussurama - 13059-900 - Campinas - SP, Tel.: +55 19 3343-6875 - Campinas - SP - Brazil
E-mail: transinfo@puc-campinas.edu.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondência para/Correspondence to: I.C.S. DINIZ. E-mail:<isantosdiniz70@gmail.com>.