Core Classroom: Designed with You in Mind: Welcoming Patrons and Staff with Disabilities in Your Library Spaces

CHICAGO—Join Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures this September for the Core Classroom "Designed with You in Mind: Welcoming Patrons and Staff with Disabilities to Your Library." This four-week virtual workshop with videos, discussion forums, scenarios for practical application and real-world resources focuses on navigating the many facets libraries can employ to serve patrons of all ages with disabilities of all kinds. Participants will discover the basic how-tos of beginning or expanding services to patrons with disabilities as well as get a glimpse at community collaboration, grant writing, needs assessments, Universal Design, emerging technology and practical applications of services, such as programs, outreach and virtual services, to meet the needs of this underserved population. At the end of this Core Classroom, attendees will be able to identify and combat internalized and systemic ableism, address common scenarios adversely impacting library patrons with disabilities, utilize strategies to build community-responsive outreach practices, identify grants and community resources for sustainable planning and build awareness of physical/tangible and technology/virtual accessibility.

Designed with You in Mind: Welcoming Patrons and Staff with Disabilities to Your Library

Format
Students have 24/7 access to the class site for the duration of the class, and aside from assignment deadlines, the work can be completed at their convenience. 

Requirements
A computer with Internet access is required. A high-speed connection and headphones are recommended. No experience is necessary; beginners from any background are welcome. 

Live Class Discussions Via Zoom
The following list of live virtual discussion sessions, moderated by the presenter, are the only live class events that students are asked to attend:

Wednesday, September 7, 2022, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT

Presenter: Kelsey McLane is the Library Services Specialist at Goshen College in Northern Indiana. She also works with the Academic Success Center to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to their education. This can include working with assistive technology, creating captions for instructors and campus events, meeting with students one on one to plan for the semester, provide audiobooks or text-to-speech textbooks, and advocating for these students to both faculty and the administration. Prior to her work at Goshen College, Kelsey worked in public libraries for 12 years, where she advocated for patrons with disabilities, worked with administration to add inclusivity for patrons with disabilities to the strategic plan, created outreach services, and implemented in-library programs for this underserved population.

Registration Fees:
$165.11 – Core Member
$188.10 – ALA Member
$209 – Non-member

Classroom space is limited. Register now and save your seat!

Can’t attend the live event? No problem! All registrants will receive a link to the recorded session for later viewing at their convenience.

Register online or by phone at 1-800-545-2433 (press 1 to reach our customer service representatives).

For questions or comments related to Core webinars, please contact Core CE staff at corece@ala.org.

About Core

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is the national association that advances the profession of librarians and information providers in central roles of leadership and management, collections and technical services, and technology. Our mission is to cultivate and amplify the collective expertise of library workers in core functions through community building, advocacy, and learning. Core is a new division of the American Library Association. Follow us on our Blog, Twitter or Instagram.