There is Nothing Inherently Mysterious about Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Study about Blind User Experiences in US Academic Libraries.
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| Title: | There is Nothing Inherently Mysterious about Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Study about Blind User Experiences in US Academic Libraries. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Mulliken, Adina1 am2621@hunter.cuny.edu |
| Source: | Reference & User Services Quarterly. Winter2017, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p115-126. 12p. |
| Subjects: | Academic library use studies, Attitudes of library users, Libraries & the blind, Academic librarians, Academic libraries |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | Eighteen academic library users who are blind were interviewed about their experiences with academic libraries and the libraries' websites using an open-ended questionnaire and recorded telephone interviews. The study approaches these topics from a user-centered perspective, with the idea that blind users themselves can provide particularly reliable insights into the issues and potential solutions that are most critical to them. Most participants used reference librarians' assistance, and most had positive experiences. High-level screen reader users requested help with specific needs. A larger number of participants reported contacting a librarian because of feeling overwhelmed by the library website. In some cases, blind users and librarians worked verbally without the screen reader. Users were appreciative of librarians' help but outcomes were not entirely positive. Other times, librarians worked with users to navigate with a screen reader, which sometimes led to greater independence. Some users expressed satisfaction with working with librarians verbally, particularly if websites did not seem screen reader user friendly, but many users preferred independence. Participants agreed it would be helpful if librarians knew how to use screen readers, or at least if librarians were familiar enough with screen readers to provide relevant verbal cues. Many users liked and used chat reference and many preferred Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) to learn citation style, though learning citation style was challenging. Questions such as reference librarians' role when eresources are not equally accessible deserve wider discussion in the library literature and in practice. Given the challenges described by the research participants and legal requirements for equally effective electronic and information technologies, libraries and librarians should approach reference services for blind users more proactively. Recommendations are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Reference & User Services Quarterly is the property of American Library Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 127155353 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: There is Nothing Inherently Mysterious about Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Study about Blind User Experiences in US Academic Libraries. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mulliken%2C+Adina%22">Mulliken, Adina</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> am2621@hunter.cuny.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Reference+%26+User+Services+Quarterly%22">Reference & User Services Quarterly</searchLink>. Winter2017, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p115-126. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+library+use+studies%22">Academic library use studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+of+library+users%22">Attitudes of library users</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Libraries+%26+the+blind%22">Libraries & the blind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+librarians%22">Academic librarians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+libraries%22">Academic libraries</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Eighteen academic library users who are blind were interviewed about their experiences with academic libraries and the libraries' websites using an open-ended questionnaire and recorded telephone interviews. The study approaches these topics from a user-centered perspective, with the idea that blind users themselves can provide particularly reliable insights into the issues and potential solutions that are most critical to them. Most participants used reference librarians' assistance, and most had positive experiences. High-level screen reader users requested help with specific needs. A larger number of participants reported contacting a librarian because of feeling overwhelmed by the library website. In some cases, blind users and librarians worked verbally without the screen reader. Users were appreciative of librarians' help but outcomes were not entirely positive. Other times, librarians worked with users to navigate with a screen reader, which sometimes led to greater independence. Some users expressed satisfaction with working with librarians verbally, particularly if websites did not seem screen reader user friendly, but many users preferred independence. Participants agreed it would be helpful if librarians knew how to use screen readers, or at least if librarians were familiar enough with screen readers to provide relevant verbal cues. Many users liked and used chat reference and many preferred Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) to learn citation style, though learning citation style was challenging. Questions such as reference librarians' role when eresources are not equally accessible deserve wider discussion in the library literature and in practice. Given the challenges described by the research participants and legal requirements for equally effective electronic and information technologies, libraries and librarians should approach reference services for blind users more proactively. Recommendations are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Reference & User Services Quarterly is the property of American Library Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.5860/rusq.57.2.6528 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 115 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Academic library use studies Type: general – SubjectFull: Attitudes of library users Type: general – SubjectFull: Libraries & the blind Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic librarians Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: There is Nothing Inherently Mysterious about Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Study about Blind User Experiences in US Academic Libraries. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mulliken, Adina IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Winter2017 Type: published Y: 2017 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10949054 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 57 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Reference & User Services Quarterly Type: main |
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