Library Access Framework - Accessibility RA 2025

In October 2024, I began the research with open ended questions regarding accessibility. These questions were posted around campus and attracted lots of engagement. 

Questions 

•     Your greatest fear around accessibility? 
•     How does accessibility look like to you? 
•     What formats do you prefer to read? 
•     Your dream seating? 
•     Your dream sound? 

Themes that emerged from the responses are listed below, accompanied by quotations as examples.  

Identified Themes

Stigma 

• “assumed abilities based on outward appearance” 
• “that my needs will be considered childish and over dramatic” 
• “that i will be treated differently by my teachers” 
• “to be seen as a failure for my accommodations oops” 

Inclusion/Compassion/Community Support (education and training) 

• “if only there are some supports for those who couldn't afford to get a diagnosis as well...” 
• “empathy + understanding for other's situations” 
• “understanding that it's not that we're unwilling to do the work, it's that we're UNABLE” 
• “it understands privilege” 

Self-Advocacy 

• “when teachers don't respond to your accommodation notices and you feel like you have to confront them but you're too scared to advocate for yourself” 
• “I dread approaching people to ask for assistance and accommodation” 
• Thought: How can the school or our system encourage self-advocacy? 

Resources and Physical Space 

• “blanket” and “adjustable chairs” 
• “enclosed (safe) spaces” 
• “free resources” 
• Systematic Issue (accommodation processes) 
• “I am not "bad enough" to require them. but if i did i may not be believed” 
• “asking for accommodations and not actually getting them (ahis last year)” 
• “profs treating me like an annoyance or demanding” 

Themes were of course interconnected and entangled to one another, raising big gaps around accessibility on our campus.

For example, Stigma, Self-advocacy, and Inclusion/ Compassion/ Community support are entangled. The lack of education, knowledge, and training on topics such as ablism, trauma-informed, EDI or the accommodation system at Emily Carr, can lead to less community compassion and understanding, which can feed the current stigma around accessibility; therefore, a less desired environment for a student to advocate for themselves.  

 In November 2024 I conducted a survey that was specifically tailored towards library use. The following draft short-term and long-term action plan was conducted based on the survey results. Different needs that echoed the previous research questions lead toward the lack of space issue on our campus one way or another.

The space problem at the library is infrastructural. Spaces have become multipurpose to accommodate multiple needs; therefore, affecting students on a different scale and in different situations. What if we could utilize already existing spaces and improve studio/ community cultures. What if we could invest to utilize them. To add a couple couches, blankets, fridge, etc. to dead spaces. 

Students need a variety of spaces to have access to and to choose from. Spaces that are available when the campus is open. Two of these current, major identified spaces that are in demand are listed below. There has already been some initiative taken on both ideas. 

Hallway Nooks

Outreach and research concurrently performed by the library team has flagged that users want additional, comfortable, solo/study nook seating with single-seat tables. Ideally these spaces could be cozy and functional, with a variety of lighting/seating options.  

There are several hallway spaces on campus that are underutilized. Most of these spaces exist on the 3rd and 4th floors. The technicians who work in spaces adjacent to these areas do their best to make the spaces usable, but as they lie outside of their officially maintained departments, it is difficult to provide frequent support and maintenance for these hallways. This leads to the spaces being messy, accumulating garbage and discarded student projects. These 'sad' hallway spaces were identified as ideal options for additional student study spaces.

Student Lounge/Rest Areas

Another student demand is the desire for additional lounge spaces for rest and social activity. Currently, the primary student lounge area is the one run by the students’ union, which is in the cafeteria. This space is frequently in flux, as well as often fully occupied during peak hours. It can serve as an active social area, but lacks the capacity for providing quiet relaxation space.

Quiet space is only available in the Oasis Student Lounge, an area that few students are aware of. They do not fully understand the hours or functionality of the space, and are not aware of its existence as a quiet decompression space. Many students come instead to the Library hoping to decompress and rest, and are instead frustrated by the volumes level present in the space. Requests for extending Library hours and furniture options will not solve this issue of insufficient rest spaces on campus, as the Library is a heavily trafficked area with its own noise and space concerns. 

Missingspaces Exhibition (2024), Pop-up Lounge for End of Semester  

The university has been working with the Students’ union to book zone 4 in the gallery space on the first floor during the finals to dedicate to student lounge. The Students’ Union has also ordered new sets of couches.

2025

As of the Fall 2025 semester, the university has added a few additional hallway lounge spaces to certain floors. This is an exciting move in the evolution of the ECU space. It is hoped that these improvements will continue.