<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Is there anyone on this list with whom I can network to discuss museum access in my area?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My state, Oregon, seems to rank low in terms of museum accessibility. I am partly motivated to do something about this because a good friend of mine went to a museum in my area 20 years ago. Everything was behind glass, and her companions needed to read out the labels for her to get anything out of the visit. I know that if I were there, I’d be wondering, “Where’s Michael Dorn when you need him?” If Mr. Dorn had been there, it would have not changed the fact that everything was behind glass, but it would have relieved the relative from having to read all those labels.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Even with the new technology we have, I still can’t believe horror stories are out there.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>But here’s my point. I want to see museum access improve. In an ideal world, accessibility options would be available on demand, so even if you plan your trip, accessibility is there, and you don’t need to call for it ahead. You’d also be able to use your own equipment, especially if you had the right app on your smart phone.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I do know a lot of older museums don’t have good wi-fi, which makes it more difficult to use AIRA or Be My Eyes. But if we don’t want to deal with friends or family, especially if they’re not good readers, what options are there? You can’t pair every blind/low vision person with a live guide, and group tours have the potential to introduce other problems, such as everyone crowding around an exhibit all at once, time limitations, and other concerns.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So how can we address these problems? Who can I network with to start to address some or all of these issues? I know in my state, I feel very alone, like a voice in the desert. Any thoughts? Who can I contact? Thanks.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>