What is Gateway?
Introduction
This definition of Gateway sets out the background who is involved, what it wants to achieve and how it is funded and managed.
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Background
- A range of organisations from the public, voluntary and commercial sectors provide library and information services for visually impaired people.
- Many end users and public library staff are unaware or unsure of the range of organisations and the formats and services they offer.
- Many end users join a number of organisations separately to receive materials and services.
- Many end users are long standing members of one organisation but remain unaware of relevant services offered by others.
- Feedback from public libraries indicates they would like:
- a single route of access to all library and information services for visually impaired people,
- training and support for staff to achieve high quality service provision to visually impaired people
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Who is involved
- Calibre Cassette Library.
- ClearVision Project.
- National Library for the Blind.
- Royal National Institute of the Blind.
- Share The Vision.
- Society of Chief Librarians.
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Vision
All UK public libraries should be the gateway to all library and information services across the sectors relevant to the individual visually impaired person.
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Aims
- To provide public library staff and end users with a single contact point for enquiries regarding reading materials and library services for visually impaired people.
- To provide staff of local visual impairment societies, social services departments and educational establishments with a single contact point for enquiries regarding reading materials and library services for visually impaired people.
- To provide information and support to library staff in addressing the library and information needs of visually impaired people.
- To establish simplified joint membership procedures for access to partner services.
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What it will not do
- Arrange the physical supply of materials.
- Be responsible for the availability of materials or services.
- Be responsible for the quality of organisations’ materials or services.
- Promote or endorse specific materials, products or services beyond the provision of information about them.
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External factors
Gateway supports:
- Framework for the Future.
- Public Library Impact Standards.
- Best Value.
- Disability Discrimination Act compliance.
- INSPIRE (Information Sharing Partners In Resources for Education).
- SENDA (Special Educational Needs and Disability Act).
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Funding
The project is funded by the Ulverscroft Foundation .
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Management
The Project is managed by a Joint Working Group made up of members of the Society of Chief Librarians and representatives from Share the Vision.
The Joint Working Group is responsible for policy decisions and overseeing future developments.
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Link to us
We welcome links to this website. You do not need to request permission to create a text link but please use text that makes sense if read out of context by a screenreader.
Please feel free to use the descriptive paragraph below:
Gateway works with library services to give visually impaired people better access to all library and information services whoever provides them.
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Contact Gateway
Gateway Helpdesk 0845 075 0089 (local rate number)
info@gateway-uk.org
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