Access to electronic and print information resources by people with visual impairments in university libraries. A review of related literature
| Date | 13 August 2018 |
| Pages | 462-473 |
| Published date | 13 August 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-04-2017-0038 |
| Author | Rebecca Mgunda Majinge,Stephen Mudogo Mutula |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Access to electronic and print
information resources by people
with visual impairments in
university libraries
A review of related literature
Rebecca Mgunda Majinge and Stephen Mudogo Mutula
Department of Information Studies,
University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Humanities,
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implication of copyright on access to electronic and
print information resources by people with visual impairments in university libraries. The paper examines
the extent to which electronic and print information resources in university libraries are accessible to people
with visual impairments; the extent to which existing national/international copyright laws facilitate or
hamper access to electronic and print information resources by people with visual impairments; examine
challenges facing people with visual impairments in accessing electronic and print information resources; and
how these challenges can be ameliorated.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper is based on review of empirical and theoretical literature and
is underpinned by Oliver’s (1990) social model of disability.
Findings –The findings reveal that many university libraries the world over lack the capacity to offer an
effective information service to people with visual impairments. Furthermore, the stringent copyright laws
and licensing regimes for purchasing or transcribing content from one format to another make provision of
information services to people with visual impairments difficult. In-university libraries are faced with various
challenges in accessing electronic and print information that include among others copyright and licensing
restrictions, and system design issues. Assistive technologies (ATs), enabling policies, skilled staff and
facilitative copyright regimes can help ameliorate some of these barriers.
Practical implications –ATs, enabling policies, skilled staff and facilitative copyright regimes are key to
unlocking the barriers that hinder people with visual impairments from effectively accessing print and
electronic resources in university libraries. Protection of the basic rights of persons with disabilities including
visual impairments, the elimination of social discrimination and bridging the accessibility gap are integral to
social inclusion. This paper provides the basic information to university libraries for addressing challenges
associated with access to electronic and print resources by people with visual impairments.
Social implications –Access to information to all including people with visual impairments in society is a
basic human and moral right that every human being must enjoy. The Sustainable Development Goals’2030
agenda for sustainable development envisages a world of universal respect for human rights and human
dignity […] equality and non-discrimination, an equitable, tolerant, open and socially inclusive world in which
the needs of the most vulnerable are met (United Nations, 2015), and inclusive rights such as education, access
to services (including information) and employment for people with disabilities.
Originality/value –This paper builds on existing literature and contributes to the growing body of
knowledge on access by people with disabilities predicating on World Summit on Information Society
principle and agenda 2030 on sustainable development goals.
Keywords Access, Copyright, University libraries, Electronic information, Print information,
Visual impairments
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It is estimated that more than one billion people around the world live with disabilities of
various forms (including visual impairments) (World Health Organization, 2013). People with
disabilitiesin general and visual impairmentsin particular face and experienceexclusion and
Library Management
Vol. 39 No. 6/7, 2018
pp. 462-473
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-04-2017-0038
Received 4 April 2017
Revised 10 October 2017
Accepted 10 April 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
462
LM
39,6/7
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