| Editorial:
Enabling choices, individual voices
Looking at the articles that make up this Equal Opportunities issue of
Impact, it becomes clear that ‘equal opportunities’ is not just about everyone being offered the same chances, but also about everyone being offered choices that enable them to reach their chosen goals as individuals. Two articles this month describe projects being run to help disabled library users achieve their full potential as learners. A further two articles describe visits to libraries that are successfully putting equal opportunities principles into practice. Recently involved in running library skills workshops for groups of hearing-impaired students at the Open University, I was very aware that every disabled user has individual, special needs. The challenge for us as librarians is to provide flexible services and facilities that can be tailored to these needs, rather than ‘one size fits no-one’ solutions. I also realised how technology can act as a gateway to education - enabling a new freedom of educational opportunity.
Sarah Attle’s article highlights the wealth of information available on the web for and about equal opportunities. An individual example of the opportunities the Internet offers for those with special needs is
www.ourvoice.org, launched in February this year. 'Our Voice' is a confidential advocacy service set up for and is run by people with disabilities. Angela Reed, campaign worker for ‘Our Voice’ confesses to ‘not being much of a library user in the past’. However, last autumn saw the opening of a brand new purpose built library in her village which has six computers, each connected to the internet and with different equipment to allow people with all disabilities access to them. It is this facility (and internet access at home) that has prompted her to go back into education.
Education enables people to develop no matter what time of life they choose to learn, and so we’re pleased to announce the publication of a new Career Development Group title, Support for Adult Learners in Libraries, in this issue. In his accompanying article, Stephen Droodge makes the point that "librarians have to be seen - as teachers do also - as co-learners and
traveling companions, providing a human dimension of understanding and assistance to people on their own learning journeys." The important contribution of librarians to education for life is beginning to be recognised - but is that recognition be reflected in pay packets? Are there equal opportunities for librarians to be paid as much as their professional peers? I’m sure you’ll all be interested to read Peter Fairbrother’s article "My milkman earns more than me". What do you think about it? Send in your views to
Impact, and ensure that your individual voice is heard.
Christine Love-Rodgers
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Resource Guide for Equal Opportunities - Sarah Attle
