By JEANNE SMITH
Librarians should take the lead in urging schools of library and information sciences to actively recruit disabled students into their programs.
This was one of the major points made by Judith Heumann, assistant secretary of education for special education and rehabilitative services, during her Disability Awareness Month keynote address Oct. 25 at the Library.
"When we look at bringing disabled people into the work force, we are really looking at a civil rights issue," said Ms. Heumann.
"Legislation to eliminate physical barriers and employment discrimination is important and necessary, but we need more than just eliminating barriers.
"Disabled children and adults don't know what their options are, and schools have a major responsibility to help them learn what they are. In many cases educational institutions are failing to do this.
"I don't know what the situation is in schools of library and information sciences, but I urge you to ask the educational institutions that serve your profession if they are actively recruiting disabled students and if not, urge them strongly to do so."
She asked her audience to think about the messages disabled persons are getting from the community.
"We must help to alter not only the way society is structured, but how we react to disabled persons," she said.
The more significant a disability appears, the more fearful others become, she said, citing people who are willing to contribute to charity that works to do away with a disability but who do not want to associate with people who are disabled.
"What we need is a commitment for inclusion at every level of society. You can't completely segregate 35 physically disabled kids in a very bad environment in the basement of a school and then throw them out into the work force and expect them to succeed. They must be integrated into the so-called normal world as early as possible and readily accepted as part of it."
In addition to legislatively mandated elimination of barriers and discrimination, disabled persons need positive role models, Ms. Heumann said, suggesting a need for books telling stories of disabled persons who live fulfilling, normal lives.
Ms. Heumann provided an example of just such a person. She contracted polio at the age of 18 months and after graduating from Long Island University in 1969 had to go to court to force the New York public school system to hire her as its first wheelchair-bound teacher. Today she supervises a staff of more than 400 and has a budget of more than $5.25 billion to provide programs for nearly 6 million disabled Americans.
During another Oct. 25 event at the Library, Marca Bristo, founder and chief executive officer of Access Living, a service and activist organization in Chicago, received the Henry B. Betts Quality of Life Award. The award, named in honor of the medical director of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, recognizes outstanding service in behalf of the disabled. It is supported by the Prince Charitable Trusts of Chicago with the Library of Congress as one of its cosponsors.
Dr. Billington, in a letter that appeared in the LC employee newspaper, The Gazette, marked Disabilities Awareness Month by describing efforts to make the Library's collections more accessible to both readers and staff with disabilities:
"In the Main Reading Room, the Kurzweil Personal Reader synthesizes type into an auditory form, which is read aloud in one of eight digital voices, thus enabling the visually impaired researcher to access the Library's printed books and periodicals.
The Computer Catalog Center has a large-screen terminal with a variable font printer as well as two stations designed for wheelchair access. Two librarians, one of whom has taken classes in American Sign Language, serve as liaisons to persons with disabilities. In each of our three main buildings, a closed circuit magnification system is available to access materials from the collections. The Library's orientation film is open- captioned to provide access to the hearing-impaired.
"I am proud of our many dedicated staff members with disabilities, and we are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Last week, the Architect of the Capitol and Information Technology Services installed emergency elevator phones at wheelchair height; instructions for use are in braille.
The push of a button will summon help. Elsewhere, special phones and sign language interpreters assist hearing-impaired staffers.
"All of this means progress."