Library Building Accessibility Assessment

Hana Levay, Collection Assessment Librarian

Andy Andrews, Assistant Director of Academic Services

University of Washington

Introduction

Libraries pride themselves on access to information; electronic and physical.

Recently there has been focused attention to electronic resources.

Buildings are a different matter - older buildings, can’t change current architecture, no funding for building improvements.

Need to know:

• How do you know if your library is accessible?
• How can you identify barriers?

Motivation

Our facilities assessment started with a web page.

Importance of trip planning.

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Public Website

• Important to identify barriers
• Identify key accessibility issues
• List information for each branch

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Deeper Assessment

Brief assessment and summaries for each branch led to more

• Are these all of the barriers?
• Which barriers can be remediated?
• Short term fixes
• Longer term planning
• What else should we consider?

Process

• Started with Northwest ADA Center’s Accessibility Checklist based on the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
• Converted to a spreadsheet (template available)
• Added and removed sections to better apply to library spaces
• Wrote a document to help guide a person doing a walkthrough (template available)
• Consulted with library users who have disabilities to ask what issues they have had in the past

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Developing a Basic Understanding

• Some of us were initially overwhelmed by all of the various required measurements
• It helps to know these requirements come from a few basic principles
• For wheelchair mobility
• For blind and low vision people using a cane to navigate

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Wheelchair - Reach

Consider the reach of someone using a wheelchair

• Operable parts should be between 15” and 48”
• Upper end of range will lower to 36” if there is an obstruction more than 10” wide

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Image from NWADA Center ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST accessed 10/9/2022

Wheelchair Clearance

The need for an approach path and clearance for wheelchairs:

• 36” wide path
• 32” wide doors
• 30” by 48” approach
• Clearance from floor to the bottom of the surface must be minimum 27”
• Top of surface between 28” and 34”
• Allow at least 17” of depth

Image from NWADA Center Accessibility Checklist ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST accessed 10/9/2022

Blind and Low Vision Mobility

• Paths must be clear of obstacles and low overhangs
• Objects protruding from walls are defined by the area of cane detection
• Directional signs should be 48”- 60” above the ground with raised characters and Braille

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Image from of the U.S. Access Board ADA Guide Chapter 3: Protruding objects (accessed 10/9/2022)

Tools

Required:

• Flexible tape measure
• Yardstick is great for measuring paths

Great to have:

• Carpenter level
• Fish scale or door pressure gauge
• Camera
• Timer

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The Walkthroughs

The next slides will show the specific areas we focused on.

Entrance: 1 of 2

• Clear path 30” wide by 48” long on the approach to the door
• Paddle entrance needed if the door requires more than a “reasonable amount of force.”
• This is not defined by the ADA!
• 10 lbs in WA state
• 5 seconds to close

Entrance: 2 of 2

• Door hardware must not require tight grip or twisting
• Door hardware must be located between 34”- 48” above the ground
• Doorway at least 32” wide
• Vestibules have more rules

Accessible Path: 1 of 2

This is arguably the most intensive step.

First, you must identify all of the “goods and services” in the building, such as:

• Copy machines, printers, scanners
• Bathrooms
• Study rooms
• Elevators
• Service desks (circulation, reference, et. al.)
• Emergency exits

Then, see if there is an accessible path to those places.

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Image from NWADA Center Accessibility Checklist ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST accessed 10/9/2022

Accessible Path: 2 of 2

• Path at least 36” wide to all goods and services.
• Check for items blocking the path (often trash cans)
• Check for alternate options to staircases
• Check slope of ramps (max slope 1:12)
• Operable parts must be no higher than 48”
• Approach path to operable parts:
• Forward approach: clear floor space at least 30” wide and 48” long
• Parallel approach: 30” wide and 48” parallel

Accessible Path: Protrusions

A protrusion is an object that is:

• Between 27” and 80” above the floor AND
• That protrudes 4” or more away from the wall

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Important for wheelchair clearance and blind people and people with low vision.

A cane will not help detect protrusions as defined above.

Image from NWADA Center Accessibility Checklist ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST accessed 10/9/2022

Accessible Path: Stacks

Many libraries will find accessibility issues with their stacks:

• Path between many stacks are narrower than 36”
• Books are located beyond the reachable range of 15” - 48”

Remediation would require extensive weeding projects or more purchasing more space.

Short of that, you may place informational signs to suggest asking a staff member for help retrieving inaccessible items.

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Bathrooms 1 of 2

Bathrooms have many specific measurements depending on the type of bathroom.

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Key details:

• Are the doors wide enough? (32”)
• Is the path to the accessible toilet wide enough (36”)

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Bathrooms 2 of 2

Key details cont:

• Is there room to turn around?
• Are the sinks, soap dispensers, towel dispensers reachable, and not blocked?
• Is the toilet seat at the correct height (between 17”-19”)
• Handrails in the correct places, with reachable toilet paper?

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Water Fountains

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• Water fountain hardware at most 36 inches high
• Water fountain hardware should not require twisting or excessive force
• The bottom of the water fountain must be at least 27” high
• There should be at least 17” between the front of the water fountain and back

Image from NWADA Center Accessibility Checklist ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST (accessed 10/9/2022)

Elevators 1 of 2

Many different options depending on the type of elevator.

Key information:

• Elevator door must be at least 36” wide
• Various interior dimensions allowed as long as there is a 60” diameter space for wheelchair turnaround

Image from of the U.S. Access Board ADA Guide, Chapter 4: Elevators and Platform Lifts (accessed 10/9/2022)

Elevators 2 of 2

Key information Cont:

• Buttons at most 48” above the ground
• Doors take at least 5 seconds to close, fully open for 3 seconds
• Visible and audible indicators inside and outside
• Raised characters and Braille floor indicator in the elevator jamb

Image from of the U.S. Access Board ADA Guide, Chapter 4: Elevators and Platform Lifts (accessed 10/9/2022)

Circulation Desk 1 of 2

The circulation desk must include an area 36” high by 36” long.

• Forward approach: clear floor space at least 30” wide and 48” long
• Parallel approach: 30” wide and 48” parallel
• Make sure the accessible area doesn’t turn into a storage area

Circulation Desk 2 of 2

• If the circulation area uses a bell for service, make sure there is a bell at the accessible area
• If the accessible area is not obvious, place a directional sign

Study Areas and Rooms 1 of 2

Study areas:

• Door to the study area is at least 32” wide
• Door can be opened with at most 5 lbs of force
• At least 10% accessible seating

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Study Areas and Rooms 2 of 2

Study areas:

• Clear path 36” wide to the accessible seating area and to any other service area, such as a computer, projector, white board, etc.

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Note: if a building has multiple study areas, at least 10% of the study areas must be accessible.

Computer Stations

• At least 10% modular furniture:
• Adjustable height tables (powered)
• Chairs with casters
• Accessible technology installed on shared computers
• Stations to connect a personal laptop

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Printing Stations and Scanning Stations

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Printing and scanning stations:

• Controls must not be higher than 36”
• Printers and scanners should be on adjustable height tables

Fire Alarms and Areas of Refuge

• Visual strobe alarm visible from all areas of the library
• Area of refuge on each floor above ground level exits
• Signs indicating the nearest area of refuge at elevators and emergency exits

Signage 1 of 2

• Raised characters and Braille signage on bathroom and other directional signs
• Ensure nothing is blocking the floor area in front of these signs
• Tactile area of a sign is between 48”- 60”
• Raised characters and Braille signage at elevator

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Signage 2 of 2

• All signage has good contrast and font size appropriate for the viewing distance
• Informational sign at circulation desk directing to accessible area
• Informational sign at inaccessible stacks

Other Considerations

• Parking lot
• Exterior approach
• Food service
• Dining areas
• Route from accessible bus or shuttle stop

Reports

• Created a template report for consistency (template available)
• Edit the template for each branch
• Clearly call out the major barriers in the summary section
• Itemize results in each area studied
• Consider who to submit the reports to

Communicate with Stakeholders

• Communication and follow up
• Library Leadership & Branch Managers
• Department Deans & Building Managers
• The people who are there every day
• Leadership works on long range planning
• Branch managers and staff help keep areas accessible everyday
• Frequently checking for blocked paths or changing signage needs
• Desk staff have a better awareness of various accommodations available
• Share, share, share!
• Put it on your website
• With colleagues at other institutions

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Future Ideas: Go Beyond the ADA Requirements

• Welcoming and comfortable spaces
• Provide multiple options whenever possible
• Example: Architect Karen Braitmayer’s talks such as Reimagining Mobility
• Consider sensory accommodations
• Sound levels - offer quiet and loud areas
• Types of lighting - Some brighter areas, some dimmer areas, different light sources
• Sensory rooms with equipment to help self-regulation

Lessons Learned

• Consult with disabled people before starting #a11y #Accessibility
• Even if you aren’t an accessibility specialist you can start somewhere
• Identifying major barriers to accessibility
• Identifying quick fixes that can easily be maintained
• It’s helpful to have barriers identified even if there is no funding to fix now
• Helps with trip planning
• Reports can be used for future planning
• You can track changes over time by re-doing the assessment every few years

Thank You

Hana Levay

levay@uw.edu

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Andy Andrews

andy4@uw.edu

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All uncited images are from the authors’ personal collection.