Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities Case Studies

Staff at the Lee Public Library located in Lee, New Hampshire (pop. 4,481) have long sought to rework some of their building’s less accessible spaces. The LTC grant helped them achieve much-needed upgrades.

Located in Dixon, Missouri (pop. 1,226), staff at the Jessie E. McCully Memorial Library have found that regardless of where patrons are on the disability spectrum, accessibility upgrades can improve everyone’s experiences. 

Before the LTC Access grant, there were few programs in Wichendon, Mass., that neurodivergent youth felt they could participate in. Beals Memorial Library's “See Beyond the Spectrum” initiative has completely changed that.

While committed to preserving the building’s historic charms (including its grand marble staircases), the Bibxy is equally dedicated to making the building more accessible to seniors and others with mobility disabilities.

In rural Iowa, the Vinton Public Library is committed to building more dementia-friendly communities. The library has been using LTC funds to run a Memory Café that seeks to provide a safe space for people living with dementia and their caregivers

In the five years since its opening, the Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center has transformed from a “building of books” into a bonafide community center.

Through two rounds of LTC: Access funding, the Belén Public Library launched a multi-pronged campaign designed to enhance accessibility along several different fronts.

How libraries can incorporate dementia-friendly principles into their spaces, their collections and their interactions with patrons.

By creating a space for people with dementia and their loved ones to relax and enjoy the company of others, Memory Cafés can reduce feelings of isolation.

Examples of how libraries are incorporating accessibility into their strategic plans.

Insights on how to make aging library buildings more accessible to all patrons, including those with disabilities.

Lessons on how to create effective sensory-friendly programs, courtesy of small and rural libraries.

Best practices for talking about disabilities in libraries and other public settings.

One rural library’s experience creating a sensory-friendly Santa program for neurodivergent youth and their families.

How small and rural libraries are creating programs, spaces and collections that address the needs of patrons with sensory sensitivities.

Community partnerships can be instrumental for small and rural libraries. These libraries share how they benefit from working with partners on important accessibility projects.

Through a combination of practical workarounds, creative rethinking and sheer persistence, these small and rural libraries have worked to bring their accessibility plans to fruition.

In this blog post, three disabled library users share what they've noticed and what they'd still like to see in their library's accessibility efforts.

Though age is not a disability, many older adults experience barriers that directly impact their interactions with their environment. Senior patrons share what they're looking for in library accessibility upgrades.

How can your library engage populations with disabilities? Take these tips and insights to help build accessibility into community outreach and conversation programs.

Many libraries have found that to make their libraries truly accessible spaces, they need to consider the specific concerns of neurodivergent patrons. What are the accessibility priorities of these individuals, and how can libraries address them?

What does it mean for a library to become a more accessible institution? First and foremost, it means putting the disability rights movement’s ethic of “Nothing About Us Without Us” into practice.

Small and rural libraries provide essential services to their communities. But for the 1 in 3 adults in rural areas who live with a disability, these libraries are not always accessible. How are small and rural libraries addressing this need?

Bullying can impact individuals in any environment, but it can be particularly devastating in an educational setting. Students and a school librarian in Montana decided to address the issue directly with help from their $20,000 LTC: Access grant.

In Dunkerton, Iowa, population 842, more than 15% of the population lives with some type of disability. Aging is a contributing factor for many, and issues such as decreased mobility and hearing loss are common. Here's how the LTC: Access grant helped.

A small library in rural New Hampshire created accessible and inclusive spaces for its youngest patrons.

A look into ALA’s largest-ever grant program, funding accessibility initiatives at rural and small libraries

Small and rural libraries don’t always have the same resources and opportunities that urban libraries do. But they still have big ideas about how to serve their communities, and as we hear in Episode 98, they find ways to realize them.

Residents of Redding, Connecticut, can now connect with loved ones experiencing memory loss thanks to a program implemented at Mark Twain Library. And it all began with one simple patron request.

In Goldthwaite, a small, but vibrant town of approximately 1,700 people in central Texas, Jennie Trent Dew Library fills many voids in a community that is missing essential nonprofit and civic organizations.

A damaging “derecho” storm devastated Nevada, Iowa. Fortunately, residents were able to use the Nevada Public Library's basement as a storm shelter. With the LTC grant, NPL was able to install two chairlifts, one for each stairwell, to the basement.

Alexis Chanthachack, assistant director of Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon, Massachusetts, knows how difficult it can be to find activities and events—especially in rural areas—that are welcoming to autistic youth. Her library is changing that.