Sacramento Public Library Reaches Settlement Over E-Book Readers for Blind

From the Sacramento Bee:

The U.S. Justice Department announced today that it and the National Federation of the Blind have reached a settlement with the Sacramento Public Library Authority to supply e-book readers for the blind.
The settlement resolves allegations that the library violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by using “inaccessible” Barnes & Noble Nook electronic readers in the library lending program.

From the U.S. DOJ Announcement:

Under the settlement agreement, the library will not acquire any additional e-readers for patron use that exclude persons who are blind or others with disabilities who need accessible features such as text-to-speech functions or the ability to access menus through audio or tactile options. The library has also agreed to acquire at least 18 e-readers that are accessible to persons with disabilities.   The settlement agreement also requires the library to train its staff on the requirements of the ADA.
“Emerging technologies like e-readers are changing the way we interact with the world around us and we need to ensure that people with disabilities are not excluded from the programs where these devices are used,” said Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez.
“We are pleased that the Sacramento Public Library Authority worked so cooperatively to adopt measures that will allow patrons with disabilities to avail themselves equally of the library’s programs and services,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, Benjamin B. Wagner.

Direct to Full Text of Settlement (via USDOJ)
See Also: National Federation of the Blind Urges Maryland  Libraries to Purchase Accessible E-readers (August 24, 2012)
See Also: National Federation of the Blind Assists in Litigation Against Free Library of Philadelphia (May 4, 2012)

Filed under: Libraries, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries