Evaluating the User Experience of Patrons with Disabilities at a Community College Library

Community college libraries provide many different types of supports on their campuses. Are patrons with disabilities aware of the kinds of support and services a library provides? To answer this question, we created and administered a survey and held a focus group. Our results showed that in some ways patrons with disabilities used the library differently from patrons without disabilities. Our focus group revealed the importance of including the voices of patrons with disabilities when discussing the library-user experience. Most importantly, our research was conducted as part of a partnership between the library and the disability-services office on campus. This collaboration will increase access and communication between the library and patrons with disabilities.