Accommodating Employees with Disabilities: Perceptions of Irish Academic Library Managers

Submitted by mlb78 on Fri, 09/16/2016 - 17:22
TitleAccommodating Employees with Disabilities: Perceptions of Irish Academic Library Managers
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsO'Neill, Anne-Marie, and Urquhart, Christine
JournalNew Review of Academic Librarianship
Volume17
Issue2
Pagination234-258
Keywordsacademic libraries, diversity, Ireland, law, legislation
AbstractThis research study investigated the views and practice of third level academic library managers in the Republic of Ireland regarding reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities (as defined in the Irish Employment Equality Act 1998 as amended by the Equality Act 2004). A mixed methods study (sample of 163 library managers) employed both an online survey (response rate 108/163) and follow-up telephone interviews (23% of respondents). Questions were based on a literature review. Library managers were aware of a legal duty to accommodate. A majority of library managers subscribed to the social model of disability rather than the medical model. They were less aware of the needs of employees with less visible disabilities. A small majority of library managers reported the presence of an accommodation procedure at their college. A large majority of library managers would not spend more than 0-10% of the library budget on accommodation -- in practice, this should be sufficient. A small majority believe that a legal obligation to accommodate is necessary. A majority would adopt a graduated approach (informal to formal) in relation to discriminatory conduct. On the whole, the legislation was working in practice. However, further disability awareness training of staff was required, and further research should examine the views of library staff with disabilities. Adapted from the source document.
NotesThis article pointed out that academic library managers should raise the awareness of accommondating employees with disabilities. It should be important to provide greater understanding of such issues, so that both staff and patrons with disabilites would be taken care of and offered better work/user experience in libraries.
DOI10.1080/13614533.2011.593852