EVALUATION OF SELECTED PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND THEIR SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENTS IN ANKARA WITH REGARD TO TURKISH STANDARDS RELATED WITH ACCESSIBILITY

Abstract

The main problem in this study is to create "as normal as possible" life opportunities for people with disabilities. The physical and social barriers that prevent their access to the social life and the provision of conditions for employment can only be achieved by ensuring the architectural designing of the buildings and their surrounding environments Libraries are public spaces that are important indicators of the established reading habits and thus the level of development about the society they belong to. In this sense, due to being open to all public services, public libraries step forward compared to other types of libraries. The accessibility of such buildings is an important factor in the formation of societies with higher cultural maturity. In addition to the libraries, especially all public spaces, should maintain interior and exterior accessibility for disabled and ensure their participation in a civilized society. In this study, primary findings and evaluations of the thesis study; “Investigation of Public Libraries in Ankara with Regard to Turkish Standards Related with Accessibility” are being discussed in order to sustain an inclusive and equal Library service to all people with temporary or permanent disabilities. The results in this study show that, even if the interior circulation and activity areas are designed to be accessible by handicapped people, it is not possible to achieve full accessibility if the surrounding environment of a building is not designed to conform related accessibility standards, both in public buildings and in private buildings.

Keywords

• Handicapped,Accessibility,Public Libraries,Universal Design