Conference on Academic Library Management

This session will provide foundational knowledge and actions that managers can take to make their workplaces more inclusive and accessible to library workers with disabilities. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 US adults lives with a disability, leading most managers to supervise someone with a disability during their career. However, most accessibility initiatives within LIS focus on providing services to patrons and not equitably supporting employees with disabilities. As such, library managers have few resources to ensure their workplace cultures are accessible. Three disabled librarians will share their professional expertise and personal stories related to how library management has helped or hindered their careers. Participants will gain an understanding"&" of the legalities surrounding disability inclusion in the workplace, devise strategies for supporting employees with disabilities through person-centered management practices, and assess how Universal Design and equity training can create a supportive environment and culture for all library workers. This session will conclude with strategies for changing institutional policies to create work environments where employees with disabilities can not just work but thrive.