Description of the facility

The library is poorly accessible. The entrance to the library is on the side of the building and is accessible via a longer ramp. There are several activities on the ground floor of the building, including a children’s section of the library with a reading room that has a separate entrance and an information desk. The adult’s section is located on the first floor and is accessible via the stairs.
There is not enough room to manoeuvre in some areas of either section. The library’s gallery areas are inaccessible to wheelchair users and dangerous to people with visual impairments due to unprotected steps with open risers.
The sanitary facilities on the ground floor (accessed through the offices) are not adapted to wheelchair users. The building has contrasting visual markings (stairs, sanitary facilities, door knobs, transitions).

Adaptations:

People with mobility impairments:

  • There is an accessible parking spot near the entrance,
  • The ramp at the main entrance is properly constructed and enables independent use,
  • The height of the reception desks is adapted to wheelchair users.

People with visual impairments:

  • The entrance to the building is not easily recognizable, but it is designated,
  • The glass doors have contrasting visual markings,
  • The window of the library counter has contrasting visual markings,
  • There are no abrupt transitions from light to dark spaces in the building,
  • The edges of stairs and changes of level have contrasting visual markings,
  • Obstructions and solitary obstacles are suitably marked,
  • The library has adapted material (audiobooks).

People with hearing impairments:

  • The library counter is adequately lit and enables lip-reading and interpreting facial expressions,
  • The spaces have adequate sound insulation.

Deficiencies:

People with mobility impairments:

  • The changes of level in the interior of the building are not adequately addressed (access to the first floor and the gallery spaces),
  • There is not sufficient room to manoeuvre indoors,
  • The building does not have a lift,
  • The building does not have accessible sanitary facilities,
  • The layout of the bookshelves does not enable wheelchair access.

People with visual impairments:

  • The library is divided into two spaces, so the library counter is not located in the immediate vicinity of the entrance.
  • The stairs to the gallery spaces are dangerous.

People with hearing impairments:

  • The building is not equipped with an induction loop.