Everyone’s library? A case study about accessibility from the example of Sundsvall’s city library

The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine the accessibility for persons with disabilities to service, materials, and the library building in one Swedish public library, and also to see what guides the development of accessibility at this library. In order to do this we have studied guidelines and political documents to se how this library responds to them. To our case study, data have also been collected by qualitative interviews, and observation of what this library offers impaired persons at the library’s web site, in special materials, facilities, and the functionality of the library building. Our theoretical starting point of the analysis has been Professor Buckland’s six different aspects of barriers the user has to overcome in order to get access to information. The results of this study were interpreted though a qualitative analysis, which shows that this library is well available for people with disabilities in the sense that awareness of political requirements is high among responsible employees. The library gives priority to provide a wide range of materials adapted to the needs of disabled persons. Deficits in availability are mainly insufficient space, and not quite well-functioning information signs and light sources at the ground floor of the building. Computers and desks are not customized for the needs of disabled persons. Insufficient funding and guidance to the employees are the main obstacles to eliminate these barriers to accessibility. Buckland’s theoretical framework has been helpful for our analysis, with a small adaptation of the barrier called acceptability.Program: Bibliotekari