Something for Everyone: Rural Communication Strategies, Disability, and the Role of Public Libraries

Rural people with disabilities often face barriers to participating in everyday activities due to accessibility issues, acceptance, and stigma. Rural libraries serve as hubs for community information and resources for all residents, but can struggle to reach or serve residents with disabilities. Through semi-structured interviews with rural librarians, we examine new and existing local communication strategies, including informal networks and word-of-mouth, to explore the evolving role of public libraries in disability inclusion. While this research illustrates ample opportunities for partnership between rural libraries and people with disabilities, questions remain about how to promote communication and collaboration between these groups.