Public Libraries as an Informational Space for Indivi-duals with Blindness and Visual Impairment. Material and Immaterial Artifacts of Access

Thesis/Objective – The main aim of the paper is to determine the material and immaterial artifacts of access for blind and visually impaired individuals to public libraries as informational spaces, and to present the historical and legal context of library services for these groups in Poland. Research Methods – Analysis of existing data (legal acts, statistical data), literature review, and an inventory of implementation practices. Results – Material artifacts of access for blind and visually impaired individuals include the adaptation of physical space to the needs of people with visual impairments (tactile plans, tactile markings, spatial markers – beacons, high-contrast markings) and the collection of library materials in accessible formats. Technological advancements significantly impact accessibility conditions: there is a preference for creating materials in digital formats, equipping libraries with assistive technologies, and utilizing spatial markers (beacons, NFC, and QR codes for orientation information transfer). Immaterial artifacts of access include the competencies of librarians in working with visually impaired users, which can be enhanced through governmental and commercial programs, as well as diverse forms of user service. These enable public libraries to build an inclusive operational model, legitimizing the “universal right to access resources” and “universal accessibility” for all readers, including those with visual impairments, as stipulated in the Library Act.