Shelf Marks and Signals: Auditing Leeds Libraries for Deafblind Readers

Leeds libraries are public rooms with a public duty. They lend books, host events and offer warm spaces, but for deafblind residents they also test whether a service is designed with more than sight and hearing in mind. As library managers across the city plan for 2026 and beyond, a practical access audit can turn good intentions into a clearer experience at the door, the counter and the shelf.

Why an access audit matters

Deafblindness is a spectrum. Some people have limited sight and hearing; others have little of either. Communication may rely on tactile signing, the deafblind manual alphabet, clear speech, lipreading, braille, large print or an interpreter. A library that works for one deafblind person may still fail another. That is why an audit should not be a single tick-box exercise. It should ask what happens at each stage of a visit and whether the answer is reliable, not merely possible.

Libraries in Leeds already offer valuable services, including central and community libraries, digital resources and home reading support where eligible. The gap is often consistency. A staff member may know how to guide a deafblind visitor to a quiet seat, while another does not. A large-print section may exist but sit at the back of a room with poor lighting. An event may be advertised as inclusive without saying how a deafblind person can book support.

Stock, staff and space

The first test is stock. Deafblind readers need accessible formats: braille, large print, clear audio and, where appropriate, tactile or object-based resources for children and adults with complex needs. Stock should be easy to request, not hidden behind a staff-only process. Library users should be able to ask for a title in an alternative format and receive a realistic timescale.

The second test is staff communication. Front-desk staff should know how to offer clear speech, write notes, use a loop system where available and arrange communication support for appointments or events. They should also know that a deafblind visitor may arrive with a support worker or interpreter and that this is part of the visit, not an inconvenience. Simple phrases such as 'I am going to guide you to the counter' are more useful than vague gestures.

The third test is space. Deafblind visitors need clear routes, good lighting, uncluttered aisles and predictable layouts. Shelves should be labelled in large print and braille where possible. Seating should include quiet areas away from echoing corridors, printers and busy children's zones. A library does not need to be silent, but it should offer somewhere calm to read, wait or communicate.

A user's checklist

Deafblind library users can use the following questions when visiting or contacting a Leeds library:

• Can I request braille, large print or audio stock, and how long will it take?
• Will staff communicate with me in my preferred way, including clear speech, written notes or tactile methods?
• Is there a quiet space I can use without needing to book weeks in advance?
• Are event listings clear about access, support and booking adjustments?
• Can I arrange home delivery or a supported visit if travelling independently is difficult?
• Is the entrance, counter and shelving layout easy to navigate with a guide or cane?
• Can I give feedback in an accessible format and receive a reply in the same way?

These questions are not demands for luxury. They are the basics of using a public service.

A manager's checklist

Library managers can act on the same themes. An audit should record whether accessible stock is visible and requestable, whether staff have received deafblind awareness training, whether quiet areas are genuinely quiet and whether events include access information at the point of booking. It should also test the contact route. A deafblind person should not have to navigate a phone menu to ask for a braille book or a supported visit.

Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 are part of the framework, but the practical test is simpler: can a deafblind resident use the library without having to explain their needs repeatedly? Clear record-keeping, with consent, can help. So can a named contact for access requests and a regular review of feedback.

Requesting adjustments in Leeds

Deafblind residents can contact their local Leeds library or the council's library service to ask about accessible stock, home reading support, quiet spaces and event adjustments. It is reasonable to ask for a written reply in large print or by email, and to request a follow-up call through an interpreter or support worker. Local organisations, including Leeds Deafblind Hub and national charities, can help people prepare what they want to ask for.

Libraries should also publish what they can offer. A short access statement, available in large print and online, can reduce the effort of asking. It should say how to request formats, how to book support and who to contact if something does not work.

The shelf and the signal

A deafblind access audit is not about adding a sticker to the library door. It is about checking the whole route: the website, the entrance, the counter, the shelves, the quiet seat and the way home. Leeds libraries have an opportunity in 2026 to make that route clearer. The measure of success is not whether a deafblind person can visit once, but whether they can return with confidence.