Irondequoit Public Library (IPL)

Challenge:

Irondequoit, a town in Monroe County, New York has a population of 50,103 residents, with census data reporting over 4,600 under the age of 65 living with a disability and over 11,223 community members who are 65+.* The Town recently combined two libraries into a beautiful new site on the Town Hall campus: Irondequoit Public Library. The Library offers many programs and services including a Maker’s Lab and a small Braille library.

Irondequoit Public Library is an energized place, with many community members utilizing their programs and services. They wondered, though, if there were ways they could meet the needs of more people – ways to become more accessible to and more inclusive of people with disabilities.

Solution:

Irondequoit Public Library (IPL) contacted RAA to begin an Inclusion Partnership with a goal of making their space and programs inviting and accessible to all community members. They quickly came to understand that physical accessibility features can be combined with intentional, strategic social welcoming – a process that has begun an organization-wide culture change.

Their core Inclusion Team has been following RAA’s unique process of training, assessment, planning and implementation, allowing them to understand what they have, what they don’t yet have, and how they can achieve their vision of inclusive practices.

With RAA’s mentored approach, their team

• has become more confident in identifying ways they can be responsive to the expressed needs of their community members, as well as anticipate needs ahead of time and putting solutions in place;
• expanded reading materials for people who are blind or have low vision;
• will add enhanced software to their public-use computers;
• will implement plans for reimagined sensory spaces within their children’s programs; and
• created a strategic inclusion action plan that guides their continued journey of inclusion implementation.

IPL is incorporating principles of inclusion across all of their operations so that inclusion becomes ingrained in who they are and how they provide services. While the many physical changes have been very positive, the cultural shift is wonderful. Just about all IPL staff and volunteers have completed disability awareness training and they are now contributing to the sustainable practice of inclusion. Recently, IPL introduced their designated Inclusion Coordinators to the community, providing an easily accessible point of contact for community members. Their new website’s Accessibility tab will continue to highlight services and amenities that can enhance library user’s experiences.

Read about IPL’s highlight in the news: Irondequoit Public Library wanted to be more inclusive. So it went all-in, from equipment to training | WXXI News

“There is a popular saying among librarians and those who love and support public libraries: ‘Libraries are for everyone,’” says IPL’s Director, Greg Benoit. “This is because we serve all ages, backgrounds, cultures, walks of life, and abilities. ‘Libraries are for everyone’ is more than just a slogan or ideal, but a reflection of the reality of who uses the public library. Rochester Accessible Adventures has enabled us to better serve everyone by guiding us through the process of coming to understand how our services are used by those with different abilities, and helping us advance institutional changes that make our library more welcoming and useful for people living with disabilities.”

*US Census Data, 2022: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Irondequoit town, Monroe County, New York