The National Disability Authority's
Excellence through Accessibility award
was presented to
Monaghan County Council
for the
Clones Library
on December 3rd, 2008.
Clones Library
achieved the
second-highest
level of the award, which
is Quality
.
The award was presented by
Minister John Moloney T.D., Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Equality, Disability and Mental Health to
Councillor Matt Carthy (Mayor of County Monaghan)
and
Catherine Elliott (Senior Executive Librarian, Monaghan County Council).
Accessible car parking bays are available at Clones Library. The parking bays are clearly marked and have space to allow the driver to exit the vehicle on whichever side they prefer.
The interior of Clones Library is a single, spacious area that is free of clutter and obstacles. A mixture of types of seats is provided for the customers.
The columns that support the roof in Clones Library have markings at two different heights to make them easily visible.
Accessible hardware is available for the public computers in Clones Library. A notice beside the computers informs customers that pen grips, a reading pane, large keyboards, a trackball mouse, and a wheelchair are available on request.
Clones Library has an accessible toilet. The toilet is spacious and the grab-rails have good colour contrast. A pull-cord for emergencies is provided. There are no exposed pipes.
Monaghan County Council's mission is to pursue excellence through service delivery and inclusive partnership to advance the social, cultural, economic and environmental development of County Monaghan. The new Clones Library opened in summer 2008. Services available include book lending, DVDs, CD, micro-film readers, and local history reference. There are also two accessible mobile library vans that provide an outreach service to those customers who may have difficulty getting to the library.
Monaghan County Council has produced a Disability Act Implementation Plan called Making Monaghan Accessible
. Monaghan County Council consults extensively with the Monaghan Disability Network, which includes over 40 disability groups. The council has a procurement procedure that ensures that accessibility is considered as part of the tendering process and that tendering organisations must adhere to standards and guidelines for accessibility.
An Access Consultant was engaged to assess the library building for accessibility at the planning stage. When the building opened, people with disabilities were invited to visit and to provide feedback. There is a dedicated car park beside the building, with two accessible parking bays. The automatic entrance doors provide easy access to the library. Circulation space is generous at the entrance and throughout the library. The reception desk is easy to locate and is well designed and a loop system is in place. Electrically-controlled blinds have been fitted to the windows to reduce glare. Clones Library has an accessible toilet which is well fitted, generously-spaced and free of obstructions.
An Accessible Communications Policy
has been developed and distributed to staff, with staff training provided on its implementation. The policy outlines the organisation's commitment to the use of clear, user-focused language and the provision of information in alternative formats, including sign language interpretation. The Library has a text messaging service for hearing impaired customers, and can provide a sign language interpreter if required. Books are available in large print, Braille, audio and electronic formats. The website has been audited for accessibility and a style guide for web content has been distributed to staff.
Pictured at the presentation of the Excellence through Accessibility award are:
Some of the people who worked to improve the accessibility of Clones Library are:
