The results of a survey about serving people with special needs during COVID-19 has been published in the latest issue of International Leads, a publication of the International Relations Roundtable of the American Library Association.

“Serving People with Special Needs During COVID-19: Stories from Around the World” was co-authored by Nancy Bolt, Chair, IFLA Section: Library Service to People with Special Needs, and Aly Velji, Adult Services Manager, Toronto Public Library, Canada.

In the fall of 2020, LSN conducted a survey to get examples of how libraries were reaching out to marginalized populations to continue services to during the pandemic.  The committee received 49 responses. From the responses, the authors gleaned examples of various efforts libraries implemented to serve their varied populations.

These populations included: services to children with disabilities, services in prisons, people with dyslexia and visual disabilities, refugees and immigrants, people with visual and print disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, older adults.

Libraries responding included Vancouver Public Library, Canada; a New Zealand prison; Listening Point Library, Belgium; Greeley Public Library, Colorado, USA; and the Toronto Public Library, Canada.

Read the full article online.