Assistive Technology and Academic Libraries: Legal Issues and Problem Resolution.

Legal issues have increasingly come to the forefront in academic libraries in recent years. Most of these issues involve The Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 (1973) or Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), complaints related to discriminatory practices with regard to accommodations or assistive technologies. This article provides a brief synopsis of the particular clauses within the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) (ADA) pertaining to academic libraries and explains these clauses in clear lay terms. Office of Civil Rights complaints and court cases to illustrate the legal ramifications of the ADA for libraries are discussed. This article focuses on some of the cases that are most pertinent to issues related to providing appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Problem resolution strategies for resolving 504 and ADA complaints are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]