[blindLaw] Accommodations When Visiting a Law Library Open to the Public

[Daniel McBride]

Aimee:

The law library I use is the Tarrant County Law Library, operated by the
County and funded by taxpayers money, which might make a difference.

In any event, some years back, I approached the Assistant County
Administrator about my access to the library materials. He asked what could
be done to provide access to persons who are blind and we discussed JAWS.
The County purchased JAWS and installed same on their public access computer
in the front of the library. With this, I have access to every research
platform imaginable, including Lexus and Westlaw.

Sometimes, a conversation with the appropriate authority solves this type of
issue. Sometimes not. The worst they can do is say no.

Daniel McBride
Fort Worth

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aimee
Harwood via BlindLaw
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 11:02 PM
To: BlindLaw
Cc: Aimee Harwood
Subject: [blindLaw] Accommodations When Visiting a Law Library Open to the
Public

Hi Everyone,

I'm really not sure why nobody has responded to this. I'm politely asking
for your advise. Surely someone here can offer a suggestion or two. 

I'm resending this email as I need to do a good bit of legal research very
soon. I have requested assistance from this list  for the below concerns. I
expect difficulties at the location I must utilize to conduct this research.
Can you guys please read and advise on the below information. I want to be
fully prepared to respond appropriately when I face the expected resistance
for accommodations. If there are additional details needed to effectively
answer my questions, I will be glad to provide for clarification. I really
do need your assistance and most certainly appreciate any thoughts and or
suggestions.

I have a few questions about (1) access at law libraries open to the public,
(2) possible accommodations, and (3) if denied accommodations filing an OCR
complaint that possibly includes prior issues I experienced there as a
student. 

(1) Has anybody had experience visiting a law library and receiving
accommodations  to permit them to do independant legal research? I need to
visit a law library to do some legal research. The closest one is the school
I attended and had so much problems with regarding accommodations. Before I
go, I would like to know my rights for accessing content at the library as a
member of the public. 

(2) What accommodations can I  request? Can I request a computer with JAWS
and access to lexis and westlaw?  I have sent them info on Aira since I was
dismissed hoping they would utilize it if they ever had another blind
student in the future. Could I ask for them to provide Aira access? I do not
have a paid Aira subscription and cannot afford one at the moment. So that
avenue will only be helpful if they are a site access. 

(3) If I do not get any of the assistance you recommend, can I file an OCR
complaint for this incident? Is it possible to relate it back to the issues
I had as a student?  

I greatly appreciate any and all advice in this matter as I have been very
hesitent to do the research but it really needs to be done. Most everything
was a fight with them. I have been very apprehensive to approach them with
this request. 

Aimee

Sent from my iPhone
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