APPENDIX 8
Memorandum submitted by SCOPE
In response to your letter inviting responses
to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into matters
relating to public libraries, please find my response on behalf
of the charity Scope.
The year 2000 is the 150th anniversary of the
introduction of the free (rate supported) public library system
following the passing of the Public Libraries Act 1850. Currently
there is a compulsory requirement on local authorities to provide
a "comprehensive and efficient" public library service
under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act, which by definition
includes the 20 per cent of people in the United Kingdom who have
an impairment.
However, as we enter the new Millennium many
barriers to public libraries and their services still remain which
deny equality of access for disabled people.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 prohibits
discrimination in relation to the provision of goods, facilities
and services by requiring service providers to make "reasonable
adjustments" for disabled people, such as providing extra
help or making changes to the way they provide their services.
In addition to this, unlike other anti-discrimination legislation
the DDA allows positive discrimination by not making it unlawful
to provide more favourable treatment to disabled people.
Disabled people also have a social and legal
entitlement to access the sources of education, information and
recreation provided by public libraries. Denying access to a public
library puts a barrier in the way of disabled people in accessing
key local, regional and national information which enables them
to practice their human and civil rights. This includes such information
as consultation documents, planning proposals and directories
of local authority services.
The need for information is often greater for
disabled people who are often more socially excluded and face
many barriers relating to employment, income, housing and learning
in addition to obstacles presented by the built environment and
the attitudes of non disabled people. They also need to be able
to get accurate information about what is available and what they
are entitled to.
A Scope survey found that 45 per cent of disabled
people find it difficult to get all the information about the
services they need. Those with more severe impairments found it
more difficult to get the information they need with 51 per cent
of wheelchair users in this category.[9]
To ensure equal access for disabled people it
is therefore important that:
In accordance with part M of the Building Regulations
and the relevant sections of the Disability Discrimination Act
all public libraries should be physically accessible, including
access into and around the building, recognising the role of the
library as a public space.
Reasonable adjustments are made to ensure the
information, services and equipment within the library are appropriate
to the needs of disabled people including their format, media
and positioning.
Public library staff undertake disability equality
training and disabled people are involved in any consultation
relating to the running and development of public libraries.
Whilst Scope supports many of the initiatives
related to public libraries—including Lifelong Learning,
the National Grid for Learning, New Library—the Peoples
Network and the New Opportunities Fund for ICT Training for Public
Librarians, we believe they will only be comprehensive and fully
effective if they take account of the needs of disabled people.
Please find enclosed a copy of our In Good Company
report[10],
which provides recommendations and examples of good practice in
providing services to disabled people.
We hope you find our comments useful and we
would be pleased to provide further expert advice to support your
inquiry.
January 2000
9 Lamb, Brian & Layzell, Sarah (1994) Disabled
in Britain: A World Apart, Scope. Back
10
Not printed. Back
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