Adaptive Equipment Technology and Services for Supporting Disabled Users: A Case Study in the Central Library, University of Malaya

This research is mainly concerned with the needs of the disabled user in a library with adaptive technology and services. This research could then help the library aware the needs of the disabled and to improve and implement the adaptive technology in the library especially in the Central library, University of Malaya. It is significant to explore the relationship between the implementation of the technology and services that suitable to be used in the library with the user or the disabled student in their performance. It is known that this group of disable students is facing double difficulties to retrieve the materials and services in a library due to their limitations. This study could enhance libraries to consider the proper needs of the disabled user’s in the library. This study discusses regarding the technology and services which needed by the disabled user’s in the library.A total of three respondents had been interviewed which include two disabled users and one librarian that manage the disabled user’s in the Central Library, University Malaya. Results indicate the Central Library concern and providing the basic needs of the disabled user in the library. The disabled user also expressed their feelings and opinion on how the library could serve them more. The library was being said as the best Library in Malaysia in terms of providing sufficient services and facilities for their disabled users compared to the other local University library. The paper demonstrates one of the few attempts to examine the performance of the Central library, University Malaya in serving their disabled user and also the effects of the implements towards their daily task as a student. Specifically, we was also reconfirmed the efforts being made by the library itself in providing the most adequate and suitable facilities for their user even though there are few budget constrain to implement the certain services and facilities.