Public libraries and Deaf patrons...your thoughts?

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Ms.Librarian

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Hi everyone, today I was asked to be on panel later this year with other librarians to discuss some of our research areas. The focus of this panel will be information needs of underrepresented communities. My area of focus in my PhD program is improving public library services to Deaf patrons (but I won’t begin my actual research for another year or so) but I have been asked to speak about the importance of research in this area.

What are your thoughts about how public libraries service Deaf patrons? I just want to know what everyone thinks about this topic because in the library system I work at we service 1.7 million people a year and out of 1200 employees only 3 have any basic ASL knowledge (including me.) Also, if you want an interpreter for any of our programs you need to ask at least 10 days in advance and I just feel that for a community as large and unique as this, more is needed. Thoughts?
 
For a library of that size, you should have at least one employee that has been educated beyond a minimal level of ASL, and also has a good understanding of Deaf Culture. Ten days in advance to request a terp? That is a bit excessive. What of the D/deaf individual that does not even know the program is available until 48 hours prior?

I would also suggest that you look into hosting D/deaf socials or book clubs once a month. From there, perhaps you could find a member of the community that would be willing to assist your employees in becoming more advanced in their ASL skills and knowledge of Deaf culture.

Seminar type classes on specific topics that are actually taught in ASL, or at least have a terp there to interpret the seminar from spoken English is also a possibility. And make certain to have plent of printed signs available so the community will know that this service is available.
 
jillio said:
For a library of that size, you should have at least one employee that has been educated beyond a minimal level of ASL, and also has a good understanding of Deaf Culture. Ten days in advance to request a terp? That is a bit excessive. What of the D/deaf individual that does not even know the program is available until 48 hours prior?

I would also suggest that you look into hosting D/deaf socials or book clubs once a month. From there, perhaps you could find a member of the community that would be willing to assist your employees in becoming more advanced in their ASL skills and knowledge of Deaf culture.

Seminar type classes on specific topics that are actually taught in ASL, or at least have a terp there to interpret the seminar from spoken English is also a possibility. And make certain to have plent of printed signs available so the community will know that this service is available.
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The bolded -- GREAT idea !! I'm trying to think of who on this forum mentioned book club socials before. Can you recall?
 
AlleyCat said:
The bolded -- GREAT idea !! I'm trying to think of who on this forum mentioned book club socials before. Can you recall?
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I remember it being discussed, but can't for the life of me remember who brought it up. Dang it!
 
I feel that many libraries/librarians don't realize the needs of the D/deaf culture. This is what my goal is-to inform librarians about the issues unique to this culture and finding ways to improve services. We always talk about early literacy but we don't think about programming for deaf individuals. Seriously, you pay taxes and should be serviced. I am open for any suggestions people have.

As Jerry Maguire said "help me-help you."
 
I am going to two different libraries currently in my city. One is the county library that has over 1 million patrons and 13 locations, 4 are currently in remodeling at this time. The other is my city library and they have 500,000 patrons in 1 location. None of the locations has anyone with any ASL knowledge. Most don't even understand the ADA laws and have to be reminded. I ran into issues with my county library and they are working on refreshing the ADA compliance training at all locations and will be having staff trained in basic ASL. They still do not understand why I can't deal with a book on tape or CD. Not all of the DVD's have captioning. Their elevators do not have any lights to tell you what floor you are on.j

I have inquired about anything book clubs or socials for the deaf, but they are not interested since there is a deaf club in town. Didn't make sense as they have a group of blind people come in for socializing and their are 3 blind clubs in town.

I was basically told that the deaf and hard of hearing should have no problem in a library since it's all "written" material. I told them they were wrong. There is also interaction with other people in regards to requests and sometimes checkout if the self-checkout is not working.
 
KristinaB those are things I have been addressing in my PhD program. The professors are not even aware of those issues so when they teach students to become librarians, especially public librarians they don't realize those issues. English is usually not a deaf person's first language especially if they became deaf before language acquisition and that is an important issue.

In library literature or research there is very little about servicing deaf patrons. I hope my research will open the gates for more research.
 
When I saw this, I immediately started asking around and this is what I found out.
Out of the 64 deaf attending our ASL sicial Friday night (not counting the hearing friends) only one....ME... had seen the inside of any library in the past year. This was a very small sample but I do think it will hold that very few deaf go to a library in their city. So ADers start asking your fellow deaf if any of them have sean the inside of a library and report back here.
 
People in my deaf social do not go to the library due to lack of services or help for the deaf. They say they can get their books as ebooks for Kindle or the Nook and have no need for the unhelpfulness of the library. I started out at the library as a small child and have instilled the love of it into my children. Daughter does not like to read as she has troubles with it. Son, mother and I use reading as an escape and a way to get away from it all. I also get a lot of references there. For myself, I have had to really learn to use the computer online catalog since no one is willing to use paper and pen for assistance and I am still lacking is ASL skills. I have a basic knowledge, but still working on it.
 
Ms.Librarian said:
I feel that many libraries/librarians don't realize the needs of the D/deaf culture. This is what my goal is-to inform librarians about the issues unique to this culture and finding ways to improve services. We always talk about early literacy but we don't think about programming for deaf individuals. Seriously, you pay taxes and should be serviced. I am open for any suggestions people have.

As Jerry Maguire said "help me-help you."[/QUOTE]

I must say, you have the right attitude to be successful in addressing the Deaf patrons' needs. Keep that attitude and you will come up with a program that will be successful.
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Ms.Librarian said:
KristinaB those are things I have been addressing in my PhD program. The professors are not even aware of those issues so when they teach students to become librarians, especially public librarians they don't realize those issues. English is usually not a deaf person's first language especially if they became deaf before language acquisition and that is an important issue.

In library literature or research there is very little about servicing deaf patrons. I hope my research will open the gates for more research.
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I would think it would. I might suggest that you also rely on much of the educational psychology research that has been done re: deaf students, literacy, and language.
 
Serviced? I thought patrons were "served."

I get my books from ebooks, buy online, or buy in bookstore.
 
As a librarian I get the "service" cracks all the time. Not to mention: can you show me your "stacks?"

And I get the "ooh I have fantasies about librarians" freaks. Lol.

But seriously I want to hear about people's experience or lack of since this is important. Thanks for all your input, I appreciate it.
 
When my kids were kids, I used to take them to Library for children story teller. I made friends with those Librarians and I taught them sign language. I was happy with them. I used to tell them we must have CC on those videos and they fixed it for me.(now they have dvds with subtitles) I don't go there anymore but I once awhile see them and said hi when I drop off the parcels from PO.
 
jazzy said:
When my kids were kids, I used to take them to Library for children story teller. I made friends with those Librarians and I taught them sign language. I was happy with them. I used to tell them we must have CC on those videos and they fixed it for me.(now they have dvds with subtitles) I don't go there anymore but I once awhile see them and said hi when I drop off the parcels from PO.
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That makes me think of something else: ASL storytellers brought in every so often and opened to the public. Storytellers are a great way to indtroduce the general public to ASL.
 
jillio said:
That makes me think of something else: ASL storytellers brought in every so often and opened to the public. Storytellers are a great way to indtroduce the general public to ASL.
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GREAT idea my daughter and I had to fight to get a terp for her to go to kids story time sad thing was there was a family with 2 deaf kids who went every week with no terp, their mom had no idea she could request it.

Took us two months and a lawyer!
 
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