Library for All – also for the print disabled

IFLA World Library and Information Congress

18th of August 2015, Cape Town, South Africa

Project Manager Rauha Maarno

Project Library for All 2013–2015• Partnership project between state-owned Celia

Library for the print disabled and public libraries in Finland

• The aim is to include talking books produced by Celia in the services and collections of public libraries

• Equal access to literature and information for persons with print disabilities

• Funded by Celia Library and the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture

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A print disabled person is a person who cannot effectively read print because of a visual, physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive, or learning disability.

Motivation for the project

• Estimate: at least 5 % of the population are print disabled – in Finland: 275 000 people

• In 2013 Celia had about 25 000 patrons• According to the PIAAC 2012 study

(Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies): 11% of the adult population (370 000 people) in Finland are poor readers.

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What is a talking book?

• Celia Library’s book production is based on Section 17 of the Finnish Copyright Act

• Digital audio books that you can download or listen to online

• The use of talking books is limited to print disabled users

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Planning• 10/2013-6/2014• Organization• Education and

workshops for 34 libraries

• Talking books service is designed

Piloting• 8/2014-12/2014• Talking books service

opened to customers in over 30 libraries in the fall of 2014

• Surveys, feedback

Expanding• The year 2015• Talking books service

in 144 libraries by May 2015

• Service is established permanently!

Outline of the project 2013–2015

Working methods used

• Partners: state library, local municipal libraries, different stakeholders (disability organisations), individual users

• Involving the users and utilizing elements of service design

• Local example: Turku City Library– Talking book reading clubs for people with

intellectual disabilities– Cooperation between the library and local

prisons where prison inmates use talking books

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Talking book service at the local library• Access to the Celia

online service 40,000 titles of talking books

• Guidance & information• Some libraries offer a

collection of talking books on cd

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Results so far – towards a more inclusive library?• Over 140 libraries in Finland

offer talking books service• Loans of talking books in

public libraries in have increased 50 % in the year 2014

• Raising the awareness of the concerning accessibility issues – we have educated about 600 library professionals

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Spin-offs from the project

• A work group developing national guidelines for accessibility in public libraries

• Collaboration with Turku University of Applied Sciences: customized course about accessible library services

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What´s next?• New application for the use

of talking books will be launched in libraries in September 2015

• Celia Library will be active in developing cooperation with public libraries

• The law concerning public libraries in Finland will, in the future, include mention of accessibility and accessible literature?

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