Bridging the Gap for Autistic Library Patrons

The purpose of this online content analysis is to highlight an existing service gap within Ontario public libraries for patrons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Those with invisible disabilities such as ASD, are often forced to disclose their disability to seek information and services from libraries. The analysis from this study concludes the Dedicated Accessibility Web Page (DAWP) is an overlooked resource by Ontario public library administration to benefit the autistic community. This paper considers potential causes, such as a strong focus on technical accessibility, to explain the omission of information relevant to autistic patron interests from the DAWP content. Finally, this paper proposes how Ontario public libraries could reimagine their DAWPs as a first step toward removing barriers from the library experience of autistic patrons and identifies the benefits for doing so. These benefits include facilitating information access at low cost and minimal effort while avoiding the necessity of an autistic patron to disclose their disability.