Fact Sheet 8. Making your information centre accessible
The environment in which you provide information affects the overall accessibility of your service. It is an important part of quality customer service and makes good business sense for both service providers and businesses who want to reach out to a wide audience. Making sure that the physical layout of your information centre is accessible is particularly important for people with disabilities.
Accessibility is essential if people are to get around buildings easily and independently. This can be important for public buildings that have offices and services on different floors, such as libraries, health centres, colleges, schools and community centres. Bus stations, railway stations and airports will also benefit from accessible signage and wayfinding. These are equally important for local businesses such as banks, restaurants and shops.
Providing detailed advice on the full accessibility of the built environment is beyond the scope of these guidelines. More information can be found in the further resources section at the end of this Fact Sheet, including a link to the National Disability Authority's 'Building for Everyone'. Groups representing people with disabilities can also offer information and advice on the accessibility of the built environment.
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The Town Centre Pharmacy in Drogheda installed a loop system at the dispensary counter two years ago. "We were investigating ways of facilitating people who are disadvantaged," explained the pharmacist. "I'd seen the sign for hearing loops* in railway stations and government agencies. Then I went on an ICCPE course given by the National Association for Deaf People (now DeafHear). We got in touch with them afterwards. A deaf person installed the loop and explained everything to us... A control box, placed out of sight behind the counter, indicates if the loop is working correctly and flashing lights come on if there is a problem." Since the loop was installed the pharmacy has
received compliments from many customers. "We don't
know how many people use the loop because no one has
to identify themselves in order to benefit. As far as
we are concerned, it's working perfectly." * Placed on a counter or table top, this unit allows a person with telecoils on their hearing aids to hear conversation or sounds in the vicinity |
What can be done to make building accessible?
Many information providers are located in buildings that are not accessible. The first step is to design and plan the location of services so that they are physically accessible. The internal design of your building is crucial so that information users can access information desks, reception desks, toilets, information stands and parking.
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Kildare County Council's Leixlip Library won an NDA Excellence through Accessibility Award for improving the accessibility of the library and providing signage inside and out. There is a Braille and tactile sign in the lobby which has a colour-coded map to mark out easy routes around the library. In addition, the library has installed a range of relevant technologies for people with disabilities. As a library representative said: "There are many people walking around today with slight impairments to vision or hearing and the use of technology in a place like this can make their life much easier and their experience as customers of the library service much more rewarding." |
The following guidelines explain how to create an accessible information centre.
- Provide dedicated, accessible parking close to the entrance.
- At the entrance, provide ramps, mark steps along the edges, design doors that are either automatic or easy to open, and provide accessible signage (you'll find more information about accessible signage below).
- Locate the information service on the ground floor of your building.
- Adjust the height of the reception desk and information signs.
- Have a buzzer on the door that it is easy to locate and use – a high visibility colour on or around the button is helpful. If possible, the buzzer should include video.
- Install a fire alarm that is both audible and visible.
- Provide effective colour contrast, good lighting and clear signage.
- Use matt finishes, not high gloss paint or shiny surfaces
- Provide space for independent access by wheelchair users inside the building, tables at a height that wheelchairs can fit under and non-slip floors.
- Provide stairs with contrasting colour handrails and marked edges.
- Provide an accessible toilet on each floor with clear signage, an easy to open door (preferably opening out or automatic), and enough room for a wheelchair user to turn an electric wheelchair and to reach rails at appropriate heights.
- Install a hearing loop system in meeting rooms and reception areas.
- Place a 'Guide Dogs Welcome' sign in a prominent place.
- Train staff to respond to the needs of people with disabilities.
- Draw up a disability access plan that identifies how the physical accessibility of your service can be improved.
| Joan has a moderate hearing loss and wears a hearing aid. She goes to church regularly and hears the priest clearly through the loop system installed in the church. When she goes to the post office, she always queues for the counter that has a loop system even though the queues for the other counters may be shorter. She gets upset if the installed loop system isn't turned on or isn't working properly. She won't complain to the counter assistant but she ends up not asking for everything she came for as she is afraid to embarrass or draw further attention to herself. |
Signage
Signage is important for people to find their way around buildings. It is easier if accessible signage is built into the design of buildings from the start. Many organisations have to find ways of adapting existing buildings to provide better signage. Good signage can prevent information users from getting lost. Poor signage can result in anxiety and confusion.
- Build signage into the design of new buildings.
- Make sure that signs are clear and consistent. Written signs should use a large font size in a clear typeface. The readability of a sign will be influenced by its position, size, viewing distance, colour and the contrast between the lettering and background. As the distance between the sign and reader increases, the size of the lettering must increase proportionately.
- Locate directional signs at every point where a choice must be made about which way to go.
- Ensure that all users of the building can easily identify where the exit is in the event of an emergency.
- There should be good contrast between the text and the background.
- The sign should have a matt finish to avoid glare.
- Use pictures as well as written words on signs to make them accessible to people with literacy or learning disabilities.
- Use consistent colours in all signs and, if there are multiple routes, use different colours in directional signs. For example, hospitals use this system to help people find different departments.
- Integrate Braille and tactile signs into visual signs for people with vision impairments. Audible signs are another option. You can get professional advice on the production of Braille, tactile and audio signage, for example, from the NCBI.
- Train staff to give appropriate assistance to service users in finding their way around your building.
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The Guide and Map was compiled and published by Dublin City Centre Citizens Information Service in association with Dublin City Public Libraries and the North West Inner City Network. It provides a map which clearly marks a range of civil and public services relevant to foreign nationals. Dublin City Centre CIS has been identified as having the highest number of Foreign-National callers at 52%. It is the only CIS where foreign nationals outnumbered Irish clients in the 2008 survey. |
Wayfinding
Finding the way to an information centre is a key element of accessibility. For some people, particularly people with literacy or learning disabilities and people who are blind or vision impaired, wayfinding can be complex and difficult.
- Consider the approach to the building and how it is laid out and constructed.
- Make sure the building design integrates wayfinding.
- Have clearly defined paths and landmarks setting out the way to buildings.
- Make sure that reception desks and other services are clearly identified and visible.
- Train staff to be aware of the needs of a wide diversity of people and to provide appropriate help and information.
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Cork County Hall won an NDA Excellence through Accessibility Award from the National Disability Authority in 2007, with an 'excellence' rating for its innovative approach to improving accessibility. This included an accessibility charter, redesign of parking bays, installation of loop systems in meeting rooms and effective disability training. As a representative from the disability community said at the awards ceremony: "We started with Cork County Hall building itself. I came out and met the staff here and basically I gave my views on what were access issues for blind and visually impaired people, whether they use a long cane or a guide dog as a mobility aid. I've lived in this area for the past few years so I've had many an occasion where I've had to come to Cork County Hall just to get information regarding housing, planning, other benefits and so on but with the recent refurbishments it's fantastic coming to Cork County Hall now. It's great that I can come here independently. I can follow the signage and access the area I need to get to for information. It's much less hassle for me." |
Further resources
National Disability Authority, Information on the built environment can be found in the NDA's Building for Everyone publication. This gives information about universal design of goods, services and buildings.
Equality Authority, Reasonable accommodation of people with disabilities in the provision of goods and services this booklet gives suggestions on how service providers can improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Irish Wheelchair Association, Access for All (2004): A Guide to Creating a Barrier Free Environment for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Fáilte Isteach, Thank You for Making 'Guide Dogs Welcome'. Not available electronically.
National Council for the Blind in Ireland (NCBI) has produced recommendations for signage which include information on tactile sign suppliers in Ireland.
The Sign Design Guide provides in-depth guidance on accessible signage. Jointly produced by JMU Access Partnership and the Sign Design Society, it promotes one sign for all, enabling you to include everyone's signage needs.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, UK (2006). Final report for signage and way finding for people with learning difficulties
