   
Newsletter of the Section for Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons
Issue 49
Fall 1999
In Memoriam
On November 26, 1999, we lost a cherished friend and colleague to cancer. Anne had been on the faculty of the Library Studies Program of Concordia University (Montréal, Canada) for more than 25 years and served as director of the program for 12 years. She had been actively involved in the work of IFLA since 1984, serving on the Standing Committee of both the Section of School Libraries and the Section of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons (LSDP). She served terms as Chair of both Standing Committees and was also Chair of the Coordinating Board of the Division of Libraries Serving the General Public. For 4 years she edited the School Library Section newsletter and for 5 years the newsletter of the Section of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons. In addition, she gave many papers at IFLA conferences and was in charge of a variety of special projects. When she had exhausted all her terms and re-election possibilities, she served as Honorary Advisor of the LSDP Section and continued to attend the annual conferences and mid-year business meetings. Anne dedicated many years to the work of IFLA, and her enthusiasm and professionalism were truly remarkable. We, her LSDP colleagues and friends, found in Anne a mentor with great wisdom and practical experience, and she gladly shared her knowledge with others. She was a wonderful motivator and organizer, who got others involved in worthy projects and made sure everybody stayed on track. Anne had a great sense of humor, loved to talk and connect with others, and exhibited an incredible zest for life.
A unique feature of Anne's career was that it crossed the barriers between special, public, and school libraries. She truly believed that information is power regardless of its venue. She recognized the commonality of service and the integral contribution of libraries to their respective organizations and clients. The areas, however, to which she devoted her heart and soul included literacy, prison libraries, services to the disabled and disadvantaged, and school librarianship. She developed innovative curricula in these areas for library school students and published prolifically on these topics.
Anne's commitment to her profession is also revealed by her active participation in many organizations at the regional, national and international levels: In Canada she worked in many capacities within the Special Libraries Association, the Quebec Library Association, the Canadian Library Association, the Canadian School Library Association and, of course, within IFLA she was very influential. She received numerous research and honorary awards, was recently named a Fellow with the National Library of Canada, and was, shortly before her death, nominated for induction into the Special Libraries Association Hall of Fame. During her 40 year career, Anne touched many people - she will have a lasting impact as both an educator and an advocate for library services to all people. We, who had the good fortune to know Anne personally, will miss her dearly.
Library of Congress Launches Web-Braille
on the Internet
Braille readers can now read their books on the Internet thanks to a historic technological breakthrough by The Library of Congress called Web-Braille. Readers have access to more than 2,700 electronic braille books recently placed on the Internet for the use of eligible braille readers by the Library's National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Each year hundreds of new titles will be added.
Braille, a system of raised dots that is read with the fingers, has historically been embossed on paper. The system was invented by Louis Braille of France in the early 1800s. As a result of new computer technology, braille readers may now access Web-Braille digital braille book files with a computer and a refreshable braille display (electronic device that raises or lowers an array of pins to create a line of braille characters) or a braille embosser. These 2,700 braille book titles are available on the Internet for download or online use by eligible individuals, libraries, and schools with a computer and a braille output device. About 40 new titles per month are released in braille and immediately available online. The Library of Congress also produces braille versions of many national magazines and is now exploring the feasibility of adding these magazines to Web-Braille for its users.
Dr. Judith Dixon, consumer relations officer at the Library of Congress stated: "It occurred to us several years ago that the computer files used to emboss braille books on paper might be able to be placed online for Internet access." After a pilot project to determine that the Web-Braille concept would work, NLS began placing current book titles on the Internet. The new service was inaugurated on August 24, 1999.
Library users of the national reading program for blind and physically handicapped individuals access Web-Braille on the Internet using an individual user ID and password. Web-Braille materials are available to eligible NLS users who are residents of the U.S. or American citizens living abroad.
"This is the first massive effort internationally to make braille book collections accessible on the Internet," says Frank Kurt Cylke, Director of NLS. This achievement reflects the Library of Congress commitment to make its collections more usable and accessible to eligible users. It also reflects the first initiative by NLS to distribute its collections of books and magazines in digital formats to its borrowers. NLS is also developing a digital talking book for its users, continuing its historic national leadership in creating new recorded and braille products for America's blind and physically handicapped individuals, he said.
For more information contact:
Robert E. Fistick,
Publications and Media Section
National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress
1291 Taylor Street, NW
Washington, DC 20542
Tel: 202-707-9279
E-mail: nls@loc.gov
New Resources and Useful Titles
Working Towards a Coordinated National Approach to Services, Accommodations and Policies for Post-Secondary Students With Disabilities: Ensuring Access to Higher Education and Training,
by: Emer Killean and David Hubka, has just been published by the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) in Canada.
For the past two years, NEADS has been engaged in a study of services, accommodations and policies for students with disabilities at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The project involved an in-depth survey of students and service providers that focused on rating the availability and quality of 199 identified features of support for students with disabilities. The 349 students and 70 service providers who responded to the survey provided comments on the most and least successful features of accessibility at their institutions. A wealth of information and insights were given as to the types of services, accommodations and policies that help to ensure accessibility at the post-secondary level.
The report details the findings of the survey, making recommendations for a national "best practices" approach to disability services, and contains a complete 160-page transcription of all open-ended responses.
Both the Executive Summary and the Conclusions/Recommendations sections of the study, plus ordering information can be viewed at :
http://www.indie.ca/neads/
Submitted by:
Jennison Asuncion
Concordia University, Montréal, Canada
Top 20 Learning Disabilities
Resources for Libraries
The American Library Association's Roads to Learning project has distributed about 140,000 copies of its "Top 20" list to libraries, LD organizations, and library partners. Color and HTML copies of the list and other LD information are available upon request from ALA's HQ in Chicago:
Fax: +312.280.4399,
or via
E-mail: agorman@ala.org
Visit the Roads to Learning web page,
http://www.ala.org/roads/
Learning Disabilities Newsletter
This is published five times a year by the Center for Alternative Learning, a non-profit corporation in Pennsylvania, USA. The mission of the Center is to provide educational, life skills and social services for individuals, both children and adults, who because of their learning problems are undereducated or have weak academic skills. The newsletter describes the activities of the Center's staff, reports regional and national news about learning disabilities and contains information about how to assist individuals with learning differences, problems, and disabilities. The newsletter also contains articles on how individuals who learn differently process information and describes alternative learning techniques. The newsletter contains lists of the Center's publications and learning resources, as well as reviews of other products.
For more information, contact:
LDR,
P.O. Box 716,
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010,
USA
http://www.learningdifferences.com
Queens Library (New York) Lends TTY Units
Queens Library and the Bell Atlantic Company have teamed up to lend free TTY (text typewriter) devices to library customers for up to three weeks at a time. A TTY is a keyboard-like device that a hearing- or speech impaired person can use to communicate over standard telephone lines by typing. The TTYs are available at 10 library locations and are checked out like any other library item.
The devices are provided by Bell Atlantic as a public service. They will be welcomed by customers who want a unit on a temporary basis, either to try out before purchasing, to be used while their own unit is out for repair, or for a visitor. Because the TTYs plug into any modular phone jack, they are extremely portable. Bell Atlantic has pledged additional units if demand exceeds supply.
Users are able to communicate directly from TTY-to-TTY in real time, or through a relay operator to a phone number that has no TTY. The TTYs come packaged with a captioned videotape that explains installation and operation, and with an optional device that flashes a light on-and off when a TTY call is coming in.
For more information, contact:
Pat Hollander
Fax: +718.291.2695
E-mail: phollander@queenslibrary.org
Report from Russia on Hospital Libraries
by Vera Eltsova Strelkova
"Hospital Libraries at the Threshold of the 21st Century" was the title of a conference held May 25-26, 1999, at the Clinical Hospital of the President of the Russian Federation. The conference included practical workshops and formal research reports. Eighteen papers were presented on the first day by professors of medicine at Moscow State University and Moscow Sechenov Medical Academy, as well as by psychologists, philologists, and librarians. Most of the papers dealt with the implementation of information technology in hospital libraries, primarily for the benefit of medical staff, and rarely touched on the topic of patient services. The few topics related to patient services were bibliotherapy and its use with adults and children and the role of literature as an element of the healing process. The need for highly trained hospital librarians was emphasized by several speakers.
Some of the participating hospital librarians recounted the history and practical process of establishing their libraries and described their current services and activities. In my paper, I outlined the problems faced by patient libraries, and I reported to my colleagues on the work of the IFLA/LSDP Section, in particular, on the current project to develop guidelines for library services to hospital patients. The conference included a roundtable discussion with participants from the Russian State Library. At issue were the newly developed policies and regulations for the operation of hospital libraries. There was general agreement on the need for and timing of these policies; the next step is to have this document considered/approved by the Russian Duma (parliament).
65th IFLA General Council and Conference
Bangkok 1999 Report
Libraries as Gateways to an Enlightened World
by Vibeke Lehmann
General Impressions
The August 20-28 conference was well organized, and the BITEC conference center most suitable for the wide range of programs, exhibits, and cultural activities. The BITEC was quite far from most hotels, a situation that forced most attendees to experience the notorious traffic jams in Bangkok which, some say, is an integral part of the city experience! The excitement that surrounded the attendance of HRH Princess Sirindhorn and her participation in various events was highly noticeable, and those who attended the opening ceremony and the gala dinner got a quick lesson in royal protocol. The Thai Organizing Committee had spared no effort in scheduling festive occasions, arranging cultural events, and providing for the comfort and productivity of conference participants. But besides sampling exotic food, shopping for bargains, and sightseeing, the 1980 delegates from 117 countries did indeed devote most of their time to serious IFLA matters. The LSDP Standing Committee members concentrated on their Open Session, their business meetings, and a poster session.
LSDP Open Session: Training Needs of Librarians and Information Professionals Working with Disadvantaged Persons
The session addressed the challenges faced by library professionals in various parts of the world who are trying to meet the needs of disadvantaged population groups for information and material resources. How to prepare library staff for this job was the main focus of the four session papers. Three of the authors presented their papers to an audience of about 50 persons. They were from Australia, Thailand, and the United States. The fourth author (from India) could not attend, but full texts of all the papers are available on IFLANET http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla65/papers/.
Janet Murray: Enhancing the Skills of School Library Staff to Cater for Individual Student Needs
The speaker reported on her four-year study which evaluated school library services offered to students with disabilities in two Australian states. She discussed her findings about the professional development available for school library staff in order to assist them in communicating and providing for the informational needs of these students. Her research showed that there are currently limited opportunities for school librarians to participate in such training programs beyond those offered to the teaching staff as a whole. She found that there is a great need for more library-specific staff development that addresses policy formulation, collection development, alternative format materials, access issues, and adaptive technology.
Sujin Butdisuwan: Information Services to the Disadvantaged Person: A Challenge for Information Professionals in Thailand
The speaker, professor of library science at Mahasarakham University, gave a broad overview of the population groups in Thailand who fall under the definition of "disadvantaged." They include the hearing impaired, the blind, low-income persons, residents in remote rural areas, urban slum dwellers, the elderly, prisoners, and persons with low education and few vocational skills. The speaker described how the Thai government is trying to improve the general living conditions of these groups through education and economic development. He mentioned the special work and support given by HRH Princess Sirindhorn to this effort. He emphasized that it is particularly important in a developing country that education and library institutions work together in providing disadvantaged population groups with the basic skills and information needed for daily life.
Both formal and information training programs for library school students and staff were described. Not all university library schools include courses on services to the disadvantaged in their curricula. Those that do, offer them at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The speaker went on to highlight a special outreach program by the Mahasarakham University, where library students and staff offer reading programs and materials to adults and children in poor rural communities. This project has received UNESCO support and has become a model for similar projects in other communities. Finally, the audience heard how a broad spectrum of government and non-profit agencies are working together to make Article 55 of the Thai Constitution a reality: that "the disabled or handicapped shall have the right to receive public services and other aids from the state, as provided by law."
Vibeke Lehmann: Prison Librarians Needed: A Challenging Career for Those with the Right Professional and Human Skills
The speaker summarized the history and current status of prison library services, with particular emphasis on the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, and included demographic characteristics of incarcerated persons and incarceration rates in various countries. She described the relationship between the many needs of prisoners and the resources of the library. The similarities and differences between a public library and a prison library were shown, as were the various roles that are appropriate for a library behind bars. Advice was given on the planning and development of a prison library, and information was included on the most helpful international and national standards/guidelines for prison libraries.
The speaker then looked at the pivotal role played by the professional librarian in making a successful prison library, as well as some formal and informal training programs for those who may want to pursue this non-traditional career path. In this connection, she examined in some detail why certain human skills are required in addition to a broad academic education for a prison librarian to be successful. They include the ability to cope with the unique prison environment demands, i.e., a personality type that can work with both security staff and the demanding patron, an individual who can function under stress and tolerate ambiguity while upholding professional values and standards. The integration of sound academic studies, common sense, and solid human skills is the key to success.
LSDP Standing Committee Meetings
During the conference, the SC held two meetings attended by 11 members and 2 observers. The committee elected John Day (USA) as the new chair, and Bror Tronbacke (Sweden) was re-elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Vibeke Lehmann agreed to continue as Information Officer. The "old" members welcomed the new members, Michel Rosenfeld (France) and Misako Nomura (Japan). The third new member, Yu Kikuschi (Japan) did not attend.
The committee members spent considerable time on program plans for the upcoming 2000 Jerusalem and 2001 Boston conferences. It was decided that the Open Session in Jerusalem would deal with the subject of hospital libraries, specifically patients' services, consumer health information, and the role of the public library in regard to hospital patients. The Open Session will most likely be arranged jointly with the Section of Biological and Medical Sciences Libraries. The hospital library theme seemed appropriate, since the LSDP Section hopes to publish the new guidelines for library services to hospital patients in time for the Jerusalem conference. Program plans for Boston may include a workshop on copyright legislation as it affects persons with disabilities; papers on literacy promotion and dyslexia issues; and some type of workshop/demonstration of technology for disabled persons.
The SC members were pleased to approve the final draft of the revised Guidelines for Library Services to Deaf People and decided to request funding for translations of this publication. Further, as a direct result of the already considerable work by John Day on the issue of model copyright legislation that exempts materials for disabled persons, the SC agreed to include this issue in its Action Plan as a basis for future programs. In addition to the translations of the guidelines just mentioned, another new project on guidelines for library services to dyslexic persons was approved. Both new projects have since been approved/funded by the Professional Board.
The mid-year meeting of the Standing Committee is scheduled for early March 2000 in Washington, DC.
Poster Session: Library Service to Dyslexic People
The poster session was prepared and presented by SC members Birgitta Irvall and Gyda Skat Nielsen. It was presented at an ideal high visibility location in the BITEC center, at the busiest spot near the main entrance. As a result, many attendees visited the dyslexia exhibit, asked questions, and picked up the informative brochures, which were available in English, French and German. Additional copies had to be made on the spot in order to meet demand. Some of the materials gave general information on dyslexia, and others were aimed at the library profession, urging our colleagues to become more aware of this "hidden" disability and take steps to meet the needs of dyslexic patrons. Also on display were three colorful posters highlighting the extent to which dyslexia exists in all societies and challenging librarians to respond. There was great interest in the poster session and the presenters were busy answering questions, including many from Thai school children who came in groups. The presenters were left with the impression that in many countries, particularly in the developing world, very little is known about dyslexia and few resources provided for the special needs of dyslexic persons. They did learn, however, that research on dyslexia is taking place at one Thai university. Even so, one can safely say that the dyslexia poster session represented "unknown territory" for many of those who visited the stand - a fact that underscores the role of the LSDP Section in raising awareness on disability issues.
Full Inclusion in Society:
Government Measures on Behalf of
Handicapped Persons
The French Civil Service and Handicapped Employees
Definition
For the purpose of employment, the French government defines a handicapped person as a person whose possibility of obtaining or keeping a job is reduced as the result of a physical or mental disability or decreased capacity.
Legislation
A 1987 law orders the French Civil Service, as well as all public institutions with more than 20 employees, to meet the goal of employing handicapped workers as 6% of the total staff. In the Civil Service this number includes handicapped persons in various categories:
- Handicapped applicants who pass the regular competitive Civil Service examination;
- Handicapped workers who are eligible for "reserved" jobs ;
- Reclassified civil servants;
- Civil servants getting temporary disability pensions ;
- "Untenured" or temporary workers.
In order to meet the 6% quota, the Civil Service may employ contracted workers from "protected" workshops and other agencies for the handicapped - but the number of these workers is limited to half of the total employed.
The COTOREP Commission (COmmission Technique d'Orientation et de REclassement Professionel), which exists in each of the 100 French departments (main administrative regions of France), is charged with evaluating and classifying an individual as "handicapped."
The COTOREP decisions are subject to appeal. According to the degree of handicap, an individual is classified into one of three categories: A (slight handicap), B (moderate handicap), or C (serious handicap).
Recruitment for "reserved" jobs
For more than ten years the French Civil Service has divided its workforce into four main categories : A) administrative, B) technical/professional staff, C) support staff, and D) unskilled workers. Because of the increasing educational level of the French population, category D has been mainly used for handicapped workers. "Reserved" jobs are only available in the B, C and D categories. To be eligible for a "reserved" job, the handicapped candidate must be approved by the regional COTOREP, which will recommend the individual for specific positions, based on job availability and the qualifications of the candidate. The normal age limits (30 years for category A, and 45 years for categories B, C and D) do not apply to handicapped candidates. If a handicapped worker in a "reserved" job becomes unable to perform his job duties, he may be assigned to another job or may request retraining. It is the responsibility of the worker to notify the employer of any changes in his condition that may affect his job performance.
Recruitment through competitive examination
Handicapped persons may compete along with non-handicapped in all competitive civil service exams. If they choose this venue, they receive no preferential treatment and must also meet the normal age requirements. They must possess the necessary degrees/diplomas required for the A and B categories. Physical accommodations, however, are made to allow all candidates to compete.
Recruitment of handicapped persons for temporary/untenured jobs
The COTOREP may also recruit temporary/untenured workers for those jobs that have not been filled by other methods. These jobs may represent all four categories. Qualifications and requirements are the same as for tenured positions, and all candidates must pass the standard civil service entrance exam. After a training and probationary period of one to two years, the worker either gets tenure or is dismissed. A handicapped person may also be hired on a temporary basis while undergoing review by the COTOREP. If approved for employment, the worker receives a permanent contract. In a case where a civil servant can no longer perform his job functions because of disability, his work station will be adapted to his needs, if at all possible. The handicapped person may also be assigned to another position but will maintain the same civil service level. (Information provided by Michel Rosenfeld)
Danish Government Appoints Ministerial Committee on Handicap Issues
With reference to the United Nations Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1992), the Danish government has established a multi-ministerial committee to coordinate policy and oversee the implementation of legislation related to persons with disabilities. The following ministers are members of the committee: the Minister of Housing, Minister of Equal Opportunities, Minister of Finance, Minister of Social Services, Minister of Education, Minister of Culture, Minister of Traffic, Minister of Research, and Minister of Labor. The committee staff will work closely with the various organizations and agencies representing or serving the handicapped, The new governmental committee has been welcomed by these organizations, and the library community should also be pleased by this positive development.
The Spring 1999 issue of this newsletter highlighted the report Handicapped Persons' Access to Public Libraries by the Danish Equal Opportunities Center for Disabled Persons. As a direct result of this report, several meetings and conferences have taken place on this issue. The creation of the new broadbased ministerial committee should be seen as an additional step toward full integration of the disabled into society. This is a challenge to all of us, and those who are working with the handicapped are following the developments closely. (Information provided by Gyda Skat Nielsen)
Efforts to Serve Disadvantaged Persons in Catalonia and Andalucia (Spain)
Catalonia: Public librarians and the professional organization in Barcelona, Collegi Oficial de Bibliotecaris-Documentalistes, are trying to address the issue of services to hospital patients. They have established a discussion group on patients' libraries with participation of medical staff as well as professional librarians; the group hopes to improve communication between the professions in order to improve services, at first in Catalonia, but also in other parts of Spain.
Andalucia: Over the last twenty years there has been a strong development in the public library sector, and almost all municipalities with a population of over one thousand now has a public library. Until recently, however, these libraries did not pay special attention to the needs of disadvantaged population groups. Since 1997 this situation has been changing under the leadership of staff from the Provincial Center of Coordinated Libraries in Málaga. They have begun an information campaign about the needs of "underserved" persons and have provided assistance to local libraries in developing special services. They have found much interest among public librarians for such services, but there is currently not enough funding to embark on major projects. The motivation to serve patrons with special needs is definitely there, but training opportunities are lacking. Current and appropriate materials are also inadequate, in particular materials like talking books, large print, as well as adaptive equipment. In spite of these difficulties, efforts to institute new services have gone ahead. Some of the highlights are:
October 1997: Kjerstin Thulin from Sweden, then Chair of the IFLA/LSDP Section, was invited by the Andalucian Public Library to conduct a seminar about disadvantaged people and public libraries. Participants were librarians, library school students, and representatives of advocacy and support groups for the targeted population groups.
December 1997: The Provincial Center of Coordinated Libraries in Málaga began a pilot project of serving hospital patients. The project had two main purposes: 1) to provide information and materials to patrons at the hospital site and 2) to get these persons to become active users of their local library after being discharged. Special funding was provided by the Andalucian government for a one-year project. A relatively small hospital was chosen as test site and about five hundred book titles were selected by library staff from the Department of Culture. Four Red Cross volunteers and social workers from the hospital would interact with the patients and handle requests. The first three months were used to getting organized and publicize the new service to staff and patients. During the next six months circulation gradually increased, but not quite to the expected level. Some of the factors influencing the loan statistics were:
- A large number of the patients were elderly and many were visually impaired and/or had low literacy levels;
- Some had recently been operated and did not have the strength to read; some preferred to talk with the volunteers instead;
- Of the younger patients, many preferred watching television, playing computer games, or pursuing other hobbies; comic books were the favorite genre and quite a few of the youngsters had their own collections.
- Hospital stays have become shorter than just a few years ago, and often there was not enough time for the volunteers to take requests and provide the desired items.
Some lessons learned:
- Although enthusiastic and motivated, the young volunteers needed additional training for this special type of work;
- Hospital staff were often too busy to take responsibility for books which were returned to them between volunteer visits, and a significant number of items were lost. The hospital administration accepted the service "donated" by the public library but was not willing to take responsibility for supporting it.
December 1998: Two new projects to serve hospital patients were initiated in Sevilla and Huelva, adapted to the special conditions of each facility. The experience with volunteers has been similar to that of the Málaga hospital.
June 1999: Several public libraries in Málaga started to implement services to the homebound, also relying on assistance from volunteers of social service agencies. The volunteers participated in an orientation meeting at the Provincial Center of Coordinated Libraries. The homebound service is just getting started, so no evaluations are available yet.
New Standing Committee Member from France
by Michel Rosenfeld
I was born in a small town near Paris, and after graduating from high school I decided to travel to far away exotic places like Nepal, India, Ceylon, and Tibet, although I never made it to Tibet, because of the Chinese invasion. After several months of studying Eastern religions and philosophy, I returned to Europe and settled in Switzerland. For several years I worked as a bank clerk, salesman, and steward - in Geneva, Brussels, and Paris. At the age of 26, I embarked on serious academic studies at the Sorbonne University with the aim of becoming a curator.
In 1981 I began working at the National Library in Paris, and in 1983 I received a doctorate degree in comparative literature with a dissertation about "Gérard de Nerval and the Ideal City", a study of the earthly and heavenly Jerusalem themes in the work of the romantic poet Gérard de Nerval, with reference to the biblical treatment and the works of Plato, St. Augustine, Thomas More, and Tommaso Campanella.
At the French National Library, I was above all interested in French and international interlibrary loan. I stayed 13 years in the interlibrary loan service until this service was closed, as the new National Library was opened. At the new building, I had responsibility for the purchase of documents and also supervised the bibliographical search team.
About 3 years ago I decided to leave Paris for public library work in a provincial city, partly in order to be closer to my aging parents. At this time I am working in the public library of Tours, a beautiful historical city and the provincial capital of Touraine. I am in charge of the public reading section.
Over the years I have been involved in many cultural, educational, and library related organizations and activities, among others:
- I did editorial work for a publishing company in the area of French fiction;
- I published in the Critical Bulletin of French Books (periodical about culture, education, and foreign affairs);
- I published book reviews on current fiction and publications related to African, Muslim, and Arabic subjects;
- I served on the board of the Association of Curators;
- I tutored candidates for the state exam of library assistants.
Lately I have had to scale back many of these activities due the demands of my primary professional work as curator. I do, however, still find time to work for the National Center for Correspondence Classes, where I prepare the oral exams for the job classifications of librarian and library support staff. And because of my growing concern for the marginal groups of our society and their exclusion from the mainstream of cultural life, I decided to get involved with the work of IFLA's Section of Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons. I am looking forward to share experiences and expertise with you, my international colleagues, and to work on projects of mutual interest.
Useful Addresses
Standing Committee Members 1999-2001
Officers:
John Day (Chair)
Gallaudet University Library
800 Florida Avenue, N.E.
Washington D.C. 20002, USA
E-mail: john.day@gallaudet.edu
Bror Tronbacke (Secretary)
LL-Stiftelsen
Easy-to Read Foundation
Box 4035
S-102 61 Stockholm, Sweden
E-mail: bror.tronbacke@llstiftelsen.se
Vibeke Lehmann
(Information Coordinator)
Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 7925
Madison, WI 53707, USA
E-mail: vibeke.lehmann@doc.state.wi.us
Committee Members:
Sue Lithgow
Open Learning Unit, University of Wales
Llanbadarn Fawr. Aberystwyth
Ceredgion SY23 3AS, Wales, UK
E-mail: sdl994@aber.ac.uk
Carme Mayol Fernandez
E.U. de Biblioteconomia i Documentacio
Universitat de Barcelona
Melcior de Palau 140
08014 Barcelona, Spain
E-mail: mayol@eubd.ub.es
Teresa Pagès
Biblioteca Popular Can Castells
Lluis Castells 16
08830 St. Boi de Llobregat
Barcelona, Spain
E-mail: pagest@diba.es
Luisa Toran
Consejería de Cultura, Centro Provincial
Avenue de Europa 49
29003 Malaga, Spain
E-mail: mtoranm@nexo.es
Nancy Mary Panella
Bolling Memorial Medical Library
St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center
1111 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10025, USA
E-mail: slhbml4@metgate.metro.org
Gary E. Strong
Queens Borough Public Library
89-11 Merrick Blvd.
Jamaica, NY 11432, USA
E-mail: gstrong@queenslibrary.org
Birgitta Irvall
Österåker Public Library
Box 504
S-184 25 Aakersberga, Sweden
E-mail: birgitta.irvall@osteraker.se
Claudie Guerin
Assistance Publique, Hopitaux de Paris
10 rue des Fosses St. Marcel
75005 Paris, France
E-mail: claudie.guerin@sap.ap-hop.fr
Gyda Skat Nielsen
Sölleröd Public Libraries
Holte Midtpunkt 23
2840 Holte, Denmark
E-mail: gsn@sollerod.dk
Vera Eltsova Strelkova
Central Clinical Hospital Library of the President
of the Russian Federation
c/o Russian State Library
3/5 Vozdvizhenka
Moscow 101000, Russia
Fax: +7.095.913.69.33
Michel Rosenfeld
Biblioteque Municipale
2 bis, Avenue André Malraux
37042 Tours Cedex, France
E-mail: ville.tours.biblio@wanadoo.fr
Yu Kikuschi
Japan Hospital Patients' Library Association
2227-1 Okura, Machida-shi
Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: libraryp@join-am.ne.jp
Misako Nomura
Japanese Society for Rehabilitation
of Persons with Disabilities
22-1 Toyama 1-chome
Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: nomura@dinf.ne.jp
Corresponding Members:
Dimitriyka Stefanova
St.st. Cyril & Methodius National
Library
Boulevard Vassil Levski 88
1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
Fax: +359.2435495
José Díaz Roque
Bibliotéca Provincial
Calle 37 No. 5615
e/ 56 y 58
CP 55100 Cienfuegos, Cuba
E-mail: bprgvaldes@binanet.lib.cult.cu
Advisors:
Ka-Jo Carlsen
Högåsvn 38
1352 Kolsås, Norway
Fax: +47.67.53.9755
Edited by Vibeke Lehmann,
Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 7925, Madison, WI 53707, USA
FAX: +608.266.5601
E-mail: vibeke.lehmann@doc.state.wi.us
Lay-out and design by students, Oshkosh Correctional Institution, Wisconsin, USA
Deadline for Spring 2000 issue is May 15, 2000.
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