We May Be Visually or Hearing Impaired, but We Need Access to Visual and Auditory Information

Abstract

This study explored access to information by visually and hearing-impaired patrons at the selected public libraries in Drakenstein Municipality: Paarl, Drakenstein, and Groenheuwel. The three Drakenstein Municipality public libraries were selected because they collaborate with the South African Library for the Blind (SALB) mini-library project to provide information services for the visually and hearing-impaired patrons. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling within targeted public libraries and Drakenstein communities, respectively. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with visually and hearing-impaired patrons, SALB project coordinators, sign language interpreters, library assistants, and librarians responsible for providing service to visually and hearing-impaired patrons. Document analysis and observation were also used to supplement the data collected through interviews. The data were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The study revealed that none of the three libraries had a specific policy or set of guidelines in place to meet the information needs of visually- and hearing-impaired patrons. Furthermore, the study established that the visually impaired have limited access to braille resources and audiobook collections. It is recommended that the three libraries develop a policy addressing information access issues for visually and hearing-impaired patrons.