Background*:
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex national origin, age, and religion. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all services, programs, and activities provided by towns. When programs, services or activities are located in facilities that existed prior to January 26, 1992, the effective date of Title II of the ADA, towns must make sure that they are also available to persons with disabilities, unless to do so would fundamentally alter a program, service, or activity or result in undue financial or administrative burdens. When a service, program, or activity is located in a building that is not accessible, a small town can achieve program accessibility in several ways.
It can:
- relocate the program or activity to an accessible facility,
- provide the activity, service, or benefit in another manner that meets ADA requirements, or
- make modifications to the building or facility itself to provide accessibility
*Background information provided by the U. S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, "Americans with Disabilities Act ADA Guide for Small Towns"
Policy:
Some meetings of the Plainfield Public Libraries Trustees are held in a location that is not ADA Compliant (the Meriden Library). The Trustees will move any meetings that are open to the public to an ADA compliant location when they receive a request with at least 24-hours notice, excluding weekends and holidays, in advance of a scheduled meeting.
The Directors of the Plainfield Public Libraries must also comply with ADA guidelines. The same services must be available to individuals with disabilities as are offered to others--such as doing research, using the card cataloging device, reading or reviewing items usually held in reserve or special collections, and returning loaned items. For the Meriden Library which is not handicapped accessible, library services may be held at the Philip Read Memorial Library which is ADA compliant, or they may be offered in an alternate manner. The Director will move any scheduled programs or events to an ADA compliant location if a request is received with at least 24 hour notice, excluding weekends and holidays, in advance of the scheduled event, unless to do so would fundamentally alter a program, service, or activity, or result in undue financial or administrative burdens.