ALA Groups Working on Accessibility and Disability

The ALA has a variety of committees, assemblies, and interest groups spanning different units that are focused on how disability and accessibility impact library patrons, students, and workers alike. This work continues to unfold and expand across several member groups, and this list is meant to be a dynamic, evolving list of active affinity spaces.
  • Accessibility Assembly: The Accessibility Assembly charge is to advance ALA's continuing commitment to diversity and to accessibility of library and information services for all, including people with physical, sensory or mental disabilities; to facilitate communication among ALA units, members and affiliated groups regarding issues such as equitable access to programs, services, collections, and facilities for library users with disabilities, employment of people with disabilities, and library accessibility policies; to encourage manufacturers and vendors to develop library products and materials using the principles of universal design; to advance optimal accessibility of ALA services and programs; to develop and promote strategies for the recruitment of people with disabilities into the library and information science profession; and, to advance coordinating and cooperation of efforts within ALA and the profession to meet the challenges of providing access to all.
  • ACRL Anti-Racism and EDI Committee: This committee’s focus is to advocate for and connect anti-racism and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) with online learning within academic libraries. This charge is accomplished through EDI initiatives, anti-racism online programming, working with ACRL DOLS committees on achieving anti-racist and EDI goals, attending ACRL anti-racism and EDI workshops and presentations, and connecting information professionals to resources that will help them approach this work in their institutions. Preference will be given to Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) ACRL DOLS members to join this committee.
  • ACRL EDI Committee: To oversee and coordinate ACRL’s Core Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as described in the strategic plan. Work with the Board and other units to initiate, advise and mobilize support for appropriate action related to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in academic librarianship—including recruitment, advancement and retention of underrepresented groups to academic and research librarianship and the promotion of library and information services for diverse library users.
  • ACRL Universal Accessibility Interest Group: The Universal Accessibility Interest group offers librarians, support staff, students, and other advocates networking and collaboration opportunities, information sharing and programming to promote accessibility in academic libraries, including web accessibility, assistive technology, reference and instruction for users with disabilities and captioning processes.
  • Bridging Deaf Cultures Interest Group: Primary focus is building support for the nation’s libraries to work with organizations serving the deaf (OSD) in forming a Deaf Cultural Digital Library.
  • CORE Access and Equity Section: This community is dedicated to advocacy and equity in areas such as accessibility, copyright, dismantling systemic racism, equity of access, open access, net neutrality, privacy, and representative collections in all types of libraries. We support ALA's lobbying efforts in these areas and provide programming and training in support of equity, diversity, and inclusion, both within the division and the profession.
  • EDI Assembly: The purpose of this EDI Assembly is to provide a forum for all groups within ALA and ALA-affiliated organizations working on initiatives related to equity, diversity, and inclusion to discuss their activities, identify opportunities for collaboration and coordination, and explore new initiatives related to the association’s strategic direction for equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Library Services for Dementia/Alzheimer’s: The purpose of this interest group is to support librarians who serve patrons with Alzheimer’s or another dementia and their care partners by providing a forum for discussion and networking.
  • Library Services to Persons with Print Disabilities: This interest group focuses on assistive technology and accessibility services for people with visual or physical disabilities.
  • PLA Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice: Because we believe that #LibrariesTransform, we also commit to honest reflection and structural change. We acknowledge that libraries have been—and still are—complicit in systems that oppress, exclude, and harm Black people, indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC). The library profession remains overwhelmingly white, despite decades of emphasis on diversity and inclusion. We see incredible examples of self-determination and resilience by BIPOC librarians and educators, yet the profession has largely failed to improve conditions and ensure pathways for advancement among library workers of color. We commit to dismantling white supremacy in libraries and librarianship. We recognize the urgency of this collective work, and commit to hold ourselves, our colleagues, and our institutions accountable when we fall short.
  • RUSA Library Services to Aging Population Committee: This committee’s charge is to explore ways of providing information and education on the subject and its problems for the profession and the people who work with the aging population, facilitating the use of library service by the aged, and continually exploring ways of making library service to the aged more effective.
  • Universal Access: Interest group's purpose is to promote inclusive library services – sharing information and resources.