Professional paper
Digitalization of materials for the blind and visually impaired persons : needs and possibilities
Amelija Tupek
Abstract
Libraries throughout the world have been trying to help overcome different obstacles met by the users with special needs of all ages – handicapped children, adolescents and adults who are in any way different from others. These difficulties can be overcome through the humanization of architectural environment, through the education of librarians, and by carefully choosing library materials for different kinds and levels of handicap.
We in Slovenia are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that people with special needs are also coming to libraries. These are the people who need more time and effort to accomplish everyday chores. Through their experiences we have come to realize that despite the incredible speed of the information progress, sometimes we must try to “stop” the time; we have to devote ourselves to the simpler and, at the same time, special development of human communication, stimulate more humane relations, particularly the relations between the users with special needs and librarians.
The librarians’ work with special users is indirectly connected with the code of ethics. The basic purpose of the code is to build such a personality in librarians which would induce them to give the same opportunity for acquiring knowledge to all users, regardless of their different demands or special needs. In the article I give detailed presentation of the elementary and secondary school library in the special Centre for Training of the Physically Handicapped Young People in Kamnik, attended by the young users from all over Slovenia. I have realized that in my life, I have learned a lot from special users, and above all, how to become a special and different librarian.
Keywords
libraries; librarians; users with special needs; disabled users; communication; special services; adaptability; code of ethics
Hrčak ID:
80990
URI
Publication date:
8.10.2010.
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