Public Library: Access Denied?

In this day and age you think of a public library and you picture an assortment of users. Various ages, colors, races fill the picture and add to our library the public element, meant to serve the people. This was not always the case. In our not so distant past, people were denied access for just these reasons. Libraries were not for all people, just certain people. Society has changed as has the library system, as well as the advancements, detailed in the Library Bill of Rights, that set all of this into motion (American Library Association, 1996) .

Though access to information can no longer be denied based on the user, it can be made a challenge to retrieve. Another aspect of denying access, which appears when you scratch the surface, is how accessible are we making the information, or the physical space itself. Does information inaccessible = access denied? If a library does not have a functioning elevator, can a disabled patron access any of the holdings? If there is not information or any texts relevant to gay and lesbian users, are they being denied access? What about non- English speaking users, or the hearing impaired?

As an information professional, I think that it is important to be aware of these elements of librarianship. We have guidelines that dictate in a broad sense the what and how of our profession. A true professional will go beyond this and get to know there patrons of the community that they serve. The best services will be provided by a professional that tailors them to the community that they are serving. In this way we are able to truly able to ensure that access is granted to all.

References:
American Library Association. (1996, January 23). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved April 6, 2008, from American Library Association Web site: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/statementsif/librarybillofrights.pdf