Implementation of Disability Compliance for Patron Services in Post-Secondary Education Libraries

This paper describes situations and proposed activities that can prepare library staff in post-secondary institutions of higher education in provision of services to the disabled. To improve library services for the disabled, librarians and library staff need information on policies, procedures and services as well as a working understanding of disability as defined by federal law. To provide that information, I researched significant decisions by the courts, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights as well as changes in and additions to statutes and regulations as presented in LRP Publications' Disability Compliance for Higher Education. Most cases, however, are not about libraries or librarians; most cases are about disputes between disabled individuals and post-secondary institutions in general. Therefore, I review cases that lend themselves to application in a library setting and then summarize the decisions for re-interpretation and application in the creation of policies, procedures, and training programs