Revised: November 2012
The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is committed to providing equal treatment to people with disabilities. This commitment extends to customers, visitors, and employees with visible or non-visible disabilities. Together, OPL and the City of Ottawa are committed to building a caring and inclusive city. Barriers are identified and plans are put in place to remove current barriers and prevent new ones so that all residents and visitors can use Library facilities, programs, and services.
The OPL commitment to accessibility is demonstrated through the following areas of focus:
Customer Supports
OPL commits to providing customers with:
- Service from Library employees, volunteers, and third parties providing goods and services on the Library’s behalf who have undergone appropriate training on the requirements of the AODA standards and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities. Employees also receive training to provide customer service to people with disabilities, including how to communicate with a person in manner that takes into account his or her disability.
- Accessible formats and communication supports including:
- Making arrangements, upon request, to provide accessible formats and/or communication supports for persons with disabilities as outlined in the Accessible Formats and Communication Supports Policy.
- Making available, upon request, any public document created by the Library in accessible formats and/or with communication supports, including all existing public emergency procedures, plans and safety information.
- Library material in a variety of formats (e.g. print, audio, visual, digital, etc.) as described in the Materials Selection Policy.
- OPL will purchase or make available library material in a variety of formats (e.g. print, audio, visual, digital, etc.) based on community interest and availability.
- The Library will arrange to provide access to accessible materials where they exist, which may include archival material, special collections, rare books, and donations.
- A Library website (www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca) with content that will progress to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A, increasing to Level AA in accordance with the schedule set out in the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards.
- A feedback process detailed in the Comments and Suggestions Policy where persons with disabilities may offer comments and suggestions on the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities.
- Goods and services as well as self-service kiosks or facilities that incorporate accessibility criteria and features where it is practical to do so.
- Advance notice of any program admission cost for support persons.
- Notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on are temporarily disrupted.