A Review of:

Muir, R., & Coe, M. (2023). ‘Out of sight, but not out of mind’: A collaborative reflective case study on including participants with invisible disabilities in LIS research. Journal of Australian Library and Information Association, 72(1), 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2168115

Objective – To reflect on what it means to include people with invisible disabilities as research participants in research projects.

Design – Collaborative, reflective case study using interviews.

Setting – Doctoral-granting institution in Australia.

Subjects – 2 LIS professionals who were also pursuing doctorates (practitioner-researchers) interviewed each other, each participant fulfilling the role of both interviewer and interviewee.

Methods – The researchers did a reflective case study, each reflecting on their own past experiences of including people with invisible disabilities (PwID) as research participants in projects for their doctoral theses. They then interviewed each other and engaged in collaborative discussions. Each interviewer audio recorded and transcribed their own interview, which they also coded individually. The researchers then reviewed the individual coding together and subsequently created a single collaborative codebook that described the emerging themes. The researchers used NVivo software in the development of both the initial codes and final codebook.

Main Results – The authors discuss four broad themes that emerged from their coding: “ethical approval for research,” “creating welcoming research environments,” “disclosure of invisible disabilities,” and “use of data.” Key topics in the discussion include questioning assumptions about research subject vulnerability, the value of being sensitive to individual participant voices, the difference between formal disclosure of invisible disabilities (ID) and disclosure that emerges organically throughout the course of an interview, and how research designs that do not consider PwID can create limitations on the use of data from PwID.

Conclusion – The article authors noted that researchers should expect that those who participate in their research studies may be PwID, whether or not it is disclosed or explicitly relevant to the project. Thus, they suggest that when researchers shape the research design of their projects, they should thoughtfully engage in questioning their own values regarding inclusivity and not rely exclusively on ethics boards to support ethical and welcoming research environments. Thoughtful engagement might include researching what is involved in creating a safe space by considering such elements as lighting, seating arrangements, colors, and accessibility to restrooms and parking areas. In addition, the authors suggest that researchers should ensure flexibility and responsiveness within the research design and approach the project with full awareness of the impact ID may have on the research processes and the data. They indicate that researchers should remain open to acknowledging their own knowledge gaps, as well as educating others when opportunities arise. Additionally, they suggest that creating welcoming environments for research participants with ID is best done from the very beginning of a project, when it can be integral to the study design and should remain present throughout the course of the research process.

A Review of:

Munyoro, J., Machimbidza, T., & Mutula, S. (2021). Examining key strategies for building assistive technology (AT) competence of academic library personnel at university libraries in Midlands and Harare provinces in Zimbabwe. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(4), Article 102364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102364

Objective – To explore strategies for building up library worker abilities in assistive technology (AT) for inclusive implementation. The primary focuses of the study’s interviewing included the extent of existing training, the challenges of funding and executing this type of training, and any notable strategies for creating greater access to high-quality AT training.

Design – A qualitative exploratory study of library workers.

Setting – Three academic libraries in Zimbabwe.

Subjects – Thirty library workers comprised of Senior Library Assistants, Administrative Assistants, and Assistant Librarians.

Methods – The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews confidentially over WhatsApp and telephone. They then conducted thematic analysis on the results.

Main Results – Exposure to AT training for academic librarians in Zimbabwe is low. Of the 30 librarians interviewed, only 13 had been exposed to any formal AT training. Of those 13, 12 scored their AT training experience as “not very effective.” Primary challenges listed included lack of AT experts as trainers, not enough funding, and ignorance around disability issues.

Conclusion – To improve AT expertise in academic librarians, suggestions included integrating AT training into LIS professional education, and for those already in the profession to establish partnerships across academic departments to perhaps leverage more professional AT training across campus. There was also a noted suggestion that hands-on exposure is more beneficial than passive training.

A Review of:

Hill, H., & Oswald, K. (2023). “May be a picture of a dog and a book”: The inaccessibility of public libraries’ social media feeds. Partnership, 18(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v18i1.7008

Objective – The research project sought to explore how accessible the social media feeds of Ontario public libraries are, particularly the use of alt text for images, by assessing the usage of alt text and by making recommendations for appropriate use within social media posts.

Design – Collection of social media posts and computer-assisted textual analysis of visual media content.

Setting – 76 public libraries and 9 public library systems in Ontario, Canada.

Subjects – Approximately 900 Ontario public library social media posts from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Methods – A random number generator sampling of 30 libraries per platform from the relevant social media accounts from a spreadsheet created using Ontario Public Library Statistics (OPLS) data of social media usage from the included libraries was initially created capturing 76 individual libraries. Then the researchers performed targeted sampling of posts from the nine library systems serving over 250,000 residents each. Researchers identified the 10 most recent posts from each included platform feed, and then undertook textual analysis for the presence of alt text with each post using two Mozilla Firefox browser extensions that determine the presence of alt text.

Main Results – Of the 76 unique libraries chosen by the random sampling and the nine library systems that serve populations over 250,000, only two regularly used alt text and five had at least one instance of alt text. Only Toronto Public Library regularly included alt text across each of the three social media platforms analyzed by the study. The study also initially aimed to assess the quality of alt text used by public libraries in social media posts. However, due to the lack of alt text use across the sample, this was not possible at the scale initially aimed for, although a small number of examples are analyzed in the findings.

Conclusion – The initial goal of analyzing the alt text to make recommendations for improved usage could not be realized due to the surprising lack of inclusion of any alt text across the sampled posts. This lack of any alt text can prevent some disabled users from engaging with content and information, leading to an inequitable experience. Public libraries should consider how accessible their engagement with users is and seek to improve the accessibility of social media posts.

A Review of:

Daskalakes, D. T. M., & Cahill, M. (2023). “We’re all pretty welcoming”: Inclusion of children with disabilities in library storytime programs. Journal of Early Intervention. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538151231176193

Objective – To identify and characterize public librarians’ inclusion of children with disabilities and developmental delays (and their caregivers) in storytime programming, and to characterize how librarians determine if inclusion was successful.

Design – Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Setting – Public library settings across Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana (United States).

Subjects – 34 public librarians offering storytime programming.

Methods – The researchers invited all public libraries in the geographic area of interest to complete an internet survey expressing their interest in participating, and from the responses a stratified random sample of libraries was chosen. From each of these libraries, researchers randomly selected one storytime librarian to participate in the study. An experienced research team member conducted interviews using video conferencing software, and the other team member reviewed all transcripts to ensure accuracy. The researchers first analyzed the data using an inductive approach to generate descriptive codes. They then assigned these codes to the data that matched the study’s research questions. Finally, they conducted a third round of coding to describe some topics in greater detail.

Main Results – Librarians are making attempts to be inclusive, and their attitudes toward children with disabilities and developmental delays (and their caregivers) are welcoming and flexible. However, they expressed limited experience in offering accommodations, and they perceived their positive attitude as being an accommodation in and of itself. Librarians are largely relying on the child’s experience to gauge how successful they are at being inclusive, and engaging in collaborative conversations with caregivers is also common.

Conclusion – Overall, librarians are interested in offering programs that are accessible to children with disabilities and developmental delays but struggle to engage with meaningful accommodations that promote better educational outcomes. The authors emphasize that it is important for libraries to be welcoming of everyone, but more should be done to actually meet the needs of these patrons. This study has implications for public libraries and librarians, who should review their practices to ensure they are addressing the needs of children with disabilities and developmental delays and their caregivers. It also has implications for the profession, as it supports the idea that librarians should be better prepared to support these patrons in storytime programming and that institutions should facilitate librarian efforts through information exchanges. Finally, this study establishes that there is a need for further exploration of inclusivity for children with disabilities and developmental delays in storytime programming.