Stroud Library | 23rd April 2019

Accessibility Rating 

Physical 

Five out of five 

Sensory 

Five out of five 

Location: Stroud Library
Lansdowne
Stroud
GL5 1BB

Parking

There are 3 accessible parking bays outside the Library. They are clearly signposted and marked on the ground. I had slight difficulty entering and exiting as the only bay left did not give me much space to exit my vehicle from the rear. There is only one dropped kerb immediately in front of the library entrance, however there is no clear pathway to this, meaning a wheelchair user would have to travel on the road to reach it.

Entrance and lift

There is a push button entrance into the building, which is clear and easy to use, and the sliding door is wide, giving plenty of space for wheelchair users. The Library is located upstairs, and there is a lift to the right when you enter. There is significant space at the bottom of the stairs and near the lift which means it is easy for people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs to navigate around each other.

The lift is very small and difficult to fit a wheelchair user and an assistant in at the same time. The lift doors are 790mm wide which is below minimum requirements. The controls in the lift are clear and at a suitable height. There is also braille on the buttons which aids the visually impaired.

Reception

When entering the reception there are automatic doors with a very reactive sensor. This means that there is no worry that the doors will close before somebody has gone through them. There are alarm sensors on either side of the door that are quite close together and make the entrance thinner than it is. They are also clear which could make them difficult for someone with a visual impairment to see.

Half of the reception desk is at a lowered height meaning a wheelchair user or person of smaller stature can communicate easily with the receptionist.
The greeting from the reception on my arrival was warm and friendly and I felt comfortable asking anything I needed to.

Main area

The library itself is quite open plan and spacious and the floor, bookcases and signage are all contrasting colours which makes it easy to navigate. The shelves are all reachable from a wheelchair which takes away any intimidation of having to ask for help to reach a book. It is very quiet and peaceful throughout. There is a children’s area which is separated by a wall keeping the main area quiet.

There is an interactive screen near the reception. The screen is very large making it easy to navigate. On my visit it was too high for me to use, however I was advised it can be moved.

There are books placed facing outwards, this makes the most popular books easy to identify and is less overwhelming. There is also a selection of audio books to choose from however there is no signage and I had to ask how to find them. There are some tables towards the back of the library which are a good height and width for a wheelchair user.

Computer suite

There is a computer room located to the left when entering the library. It is also spacious and easy to navigate, with desks that will easily fit a wheelchair underneath. Additionally, the computers have accessible options to change settings such as font size for the visually impaired. There are also headphones available.

Accessible toilet

There is an accessible toilet located to the left of the lift that requires RADAR key for entry. There is quite a narrow hallway and entrance to this toilet which can be difficult to navigate for a wheelchair user. The toilet doorway is 880mm which is below minimum requirements (950mm). The WC is spacious and has plenty of room for a wheelchair user, an assistant and turning space. It was impressively clean upon my visit with no off-putting noises or smells.

There is an emergency pull cord located on right of the toilet. The lowest pull cord ring is slightly too high at 15cm from the ground, as is the highest pull cord at 110cm from the ground.

This WC has a left-hand transfer; however, the flush is on the right of the toilet which could make it difficult for someone to use.

There is paper towel dispenser as well as toilet roll. This is positive as paper towels can be pulled off with one hand, unlike toilet roll.

There is a grab rail on the door and next to the toilet, plus one drop-down rail. These are all contrasting colour to the walls which makes them easy to identify for people with visual impairments.

There is also a baby changing facility separate from the accessible toilet.