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Small changes — big difference: counters, bathrooms and furniture that improve access
Summary
In a practical segment of the NNLM Region 5 webinar, JJ Pianchi recommended low-cost adjustments—low/high counters, clear signage, varied seating, and adult changing stations—to make libraries usable for people with diverse bodies and abilities.
JJ Pianchi used attendee photos to illustrate practical, low-cost interventions that make immediate differences for patrons. He advised having both a low and a high desk at reference so wheelchair users and seated patrons can be at eye level with staff, and to keep surfaces uncluttered so patrons with attention or sensory differences can focus.
On restrooms, Pianchi pointed out common shortcomings and simple fixes: "The sink is too high," he observed of one example, and he recommended moving obstructions (like garbage cans) away from dispensers, adding grab bars on the side walls, and providing adult changing stations where possible. For classroom or study furnishing he suggested offering a variety of seating (chairs with and without arms, wheels and non-wheels) and minimizing cramped layouts that exclude people with larger bodies.
Pianchi emphasized that some fixes are low-cost and high-impact — better signage contrast, reorganized furniture, a step stool for small-stature users — while others (structural retrofits) require planning and funding. He encouraged compiling a prioritized wish list to include in grant or donor requests so accessibility is considered during capital projects rather than after construction.
