30 July 2017
One of the first things I did when I moved to Wellington four years ago was get a library card. I love libraries. I worked on the bookmobile when I was in high school, I worked in the library as a student in University and I worked in the library when I was at home for the summer. I always felt at home there with the books and the quiet, and I appreciated how much of themselves the librarians put into making the place part of the community.
Two years ago, I had a mountain bike accident that changed what mobility and access mean to me. As a result of the accident, I’m paraplegic so I rely on a wheelchair for mobility. Fortunately, the accident didn’t impact my ability to read and write, and I still enjoy sitting quietly with a good book.
On a recent Saturday, I went to the Wellington Central Library with the intention of browsing and discovering in amongst a fairly busy afternoon of errands. I was there for an hour or so and needed to use the toilet before checking out and carrying on with my day. I rolled around the levels of the building in search of a disabled access toilet, but couldn’t find one. I then asked a staff member, who advised there is one on the ground floor. Back on the ground floor, I looked, but still couldn’t locate an accessible toilet. Finally, after seeking help from two additional staff members, I was told that there isn’t actually a disabled access toilet, but that I could use the kids toilet because it has more space. The kids’ toilet. I’m a 50 year old woman.
I went in search of the kids’ toilet and managed to find it with its low seat and changing table. Great for toddlers and parents with infants, but humiliating for a grown person with no other options.
When I left the library, I felt an emotional mix of embarrassment and rejection. I felt like the library itself – including all of its contents – didn’t want me there, I was not welcome, and I was better off at home ordering a book on line rather than trying to hold my place in the community. This used to be my place. This used to be a source of delight and knowledge and learning. Now every time I go into the library or even pass the building, I feel wretched.
I know this is not intentional, but somehow that makes it more cruel. Lack of deliberation. Lack of forethought. Lack of an intentional inclusion of the whole community. That feels worse than a purposeful arrangement designed to exclude me.
This is not an historic brick walk up constructed in 1920. The Wellington Central Library is a public building. It was recently constructed and opened in 1991. It has won architectural awards. All of these facts add to my disappointment.
It is 2017 and it is time to be inclusive.