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8 Outreach Events

Anna Flak; Katie Harding; and Ariel Stables-Kennedy

Overview

This chapter will focus on strategies for improving the accessibility of in-person library outreach events such as library open houses, tabling, speaker events, or pop-up events offered outside of the library building(s). We will use the principles of Universal Design and the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines to provide recommendations to make these outreach events accessible to a wide variety of learners. We will consider event spaces as well as how information is communicated between library workers and learners.

Description of library teaching practice

Here we consider library outreach events as in-person library events held outside of the classroom, either in a library building, or in another building or campus space. These events are often geared to a broad audience, comprising an audience of learners with a variety of experiences, familiarity and comfort with libraries, learning needs, and preferences. Further, these sessions are often open or drop-in attendance, making it difficult to plan for individual accessibility needs in advance.  Some examples of library outreach events could include tabling (inside the library or at another location), library open houses, or events hosted in other spaces across campus. The purpose of library outreach events can vary but often involve a component of building relationships with new library users or increasing knowledge of the library or a library service within the community.

Some of the barriers that these events may present include:

  • Event spaces may be inaccessible or present barriers to engaging fully with the event
  • Outreach events can be loud, making conversation challenging
  • The event environment can be overwhelming, causing participants to feel overstimulated
  • Outreach materials may be difficult to perceive (e.g. print materials with small fonts, glare from sunlight on screens)
  • Individuals may feel unwelcome or unsupported to attend

Guiding principles

The recommendations below are built on the principles of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning.

Universal Design: Designing spaces and environments to be accessible to a wide range of people with different needs

Universal Design for Learning: Builds on the concept of Universal Design by introducing the framework of multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression.

  • Multiple means of engagement refer to how the learner is engaged by the learning environment, i.e. how we are ensuring that all our students are motivated to learn and considering different approaches that might work for different students. Some students might like to participate in an activity, while others might prefer to listen to information or participate in a discussion.
  • Multiple means of representation refer to how the learner picks up the information ie. are we accounting for different learning styles by presenting our information and content in different ways? This could be text, graphs, pictures, videos, etc.
  • Multiple means of action and expression refers to how the learners may choose to act on and express their knowledge i.e. are we providing different opportunities for our students to participate in the learning process. This could be providing options for students to share what they’ve learned in a variety of ways such as verbally, in writing, or by creating something like an image or a video.

Recommendations for accessibility

General

  • Marketing for events should be plain language and accessible (e.g. webpages, emails, registration forms). Describe accessible features of the event and provide contact information for the event organizer so learners with disabilities can reach out with any questions related to accessibility of the event. Ask attendees to indicate if they have any accessibility needs.
  • If you provide catering, ensure that ingredients are well labelled. Provide tables for attendees to put their food or drinks on. Include options that are easy to eat and ensure straws are available. If guests pre-register for the event, ask if they have any dietary restrictions to ensure everyone can enjoy the catering.
  • Offer water bowls and access to outdoor relief areas for service animals.
  • Provide options for attendees to offer feedback on their experience of the event, including anything that was inaccessible or challenging for them. Use this feedback to adjust and improve for future events.

Event venues

  • Choose spaces that are accessible for people with physical disabilities. Visit the space(s) ahead of the event and consider the accessibility of the building entrance, meeting rooms, washrooms, hallways, paths, aisles, elevators, and parking. Consider things such as ramps, automatic doors, and width of doors and walkways.
  • Consider the season and the weather conditions, and if these will create barriers to getting to and/or participating in the event.
  • Choose a venue that does not include a lot of noise from external sources and reduce noise where possible to ensure participants can hear information that is shared verbally, aren’t overwhelmed, and aren’t distracted.
  • Event spaces should be well lit but avoid too much natural light where glare can make it difficult to see, especially for those with low vision.
  • Ensure that booths, tables, and chairs are adjustable and can be moved around, so they are accessible to accommodate a variety of accessibility needs.
  • Offer quiet spaces for those with sensory issues.
  • At events that involve standing, provide seating options for attendees who can’t stand for long periods of time.
  • Develop a barrier-free route to the event, highlight locations of elevators, and accessible washrooms and workstations.
  • Ensure your event venue is near accessible public transit stops and is scheduled during times when public transit is available. Provide accessible public transportation information to your event.
  • Ensure accessible parking is located nearby and provide information to attendees about where this is available.
  • Consider offering audio, textual, and visual alternatives to pedestrian tours.
  • The event moderator should inform participants of the nearest emergency exits, accessible restrooms, and any other important accessibility features of the space.

Communicating and presenting information

  • Signage should use large, accessible fonts and ensure adequate contrast between the text and background colours.
  • Provide information in multiple formats (e.g. text provided digitally, in print, or verbally; providing verbal or textual descriptions of visuals). Provide materials in an alternative format to attendees who require it before the event. Post a QR code directing attendees to the accessible online version.
  • Provide presenters with guidelines for creating accessible presentations and require them to submit materials in advance to allow time for your team to create alternative formats and share with attendees who require it before the event.
  • Use inclusive as well as plain language and visuals that are accessible to all.
  • Provide interpreter(s) as needed to help any attendees who require them.
  • Use microphones and captioning in events with a speaker. Videos should also be captioned.
  • Speakers should identify themselves when they speak.
  • Speakers should position themselves to maintain a clear line of sight between themselves and the audience.
  • Speakers should speak slowly, clearly, and use simple language.
  • Provide multiple modes for participants to interact with speakers (e.g. asking questions verbally or by submitting a question over email or text)
  • Provide microphones for attendees to ask questions, or have the speaker repeat questions into their microphone.
  • Reserve seats at the front of the room for attendees who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have low vision.
  • Offer short (5-10 minute) breaks between topics or activities to give the audience time to process.
  • Follow best practices for accessible documents to ensure any handouts are accessible.

Accommodations

  • Promote accommodations request services clearly in all promotional materials for the event.
  • If participants are required to register for an event, provide a space for them to indicate any accessibility needs or accommodation requests. Ensure the registration deadline is early enough that your team has time to fulfill those requests.
  • Designate a member of your team who can manage any accommodation or access requests before, during, and after the event.
  • Communicate in advance of the event with any attendees who request accommodations to ensure that acceptable accommodations are available.
  • If any participant’s accommodations requests cannot be accommodated, the team member managing accommodations should work with that participant to find an appropriate alternative.
  • Budget for disability related accommodation services such as real-time captioning, interpretation, sensory tools, and additional space for decompression.
  • Book interpreters and other service providers several weeks in advance.

Planning outreach events comes with many challenges, often constrained by tight budgets, short timelines, and limited human resources. The cognitive load involved can be overwhelming, especially given planning is not central library worker training. Additionally, the unpredictable nature of drop-in events makes it difficult to anticipate and address the needs of our diverse student populations.

Continuous learning and collaboration can help bridge the gap. Seeking professional development opportunities, sharing best practices with colleagues, and documenting experiences can create a stronger foundation for future events. By embedding these principles into everyday workflows, accessible outreach event planning can become a more intentional and manageable process, leading to more engaging and inclusive programs.

References

Further reading and resources

License

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Accessible Library Teaching Copyright © by McMaster University Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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