Adaptive Arcade at the Library

***BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR PLEASE REVIEW IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW***

Are you enthusiastic about video games and excited to share that passion with others? Do you feel committed to ensuring your patrons with disabilities can also experience the joy of connecting through video games? Learn how the Deerfield Public Library in Illinois partnered with a prominent gaming accessibility organization to put on an “Adaptive Arcade at the Library” event. Hear from renowned disability advocate Steve Spohn about why gaming accessibility is so important and how partnerships with public libraries can help bridge the divide. Discover some of the latest advancements in assistive technology, including adaptive video game controllers and 3D-printables you can use for library programming and even circulation. Leave with programming tips and tricks for seamlessly highlighting your library’s collection, services, and resources, all while providing a safe and welcoming space for everyone to game.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify the steps involved in creating a successful adaptive video gaming program at their library;
• Demonstrate an understanding of why gaming accessibility is so important and how community and nonprofit partnerships can help public libraries connect adaptive gaming resources to those who need them; and
• Exhibit a basic knowledge of the current adaptive and accessible video gaming equipment and resources available, and how they can be utilized for library collections, programming, and partnerships.

Who Should Attend

This webinar is intended for public librarians and library staff who are passionate about video games and accessibility, as well as multimedia librarians or specialists, outreach coordinators, programming librarians or coordinators, IT professionals, makerspace professionals, and staff who focus on inclusive and accessible services in the library.

Panelists

Vicki Karlovsky (she/her) serves as inclusion coordinator at the Deerfield (IL) Public Library and has been working in libraries for over thirteen years. In addition to cultivating community partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, she has developed and implemented library programming and service initiatives for seniors and disabled adults. She has a master’s degree in social work and is passionate about bringing libraries and social work together..

 

Steve Spohn (he/him), “Gaming’s Disruptor of Limits,” doesn’t just play games—he rewrites the rules. As director of the Nancy Lieberman Back to Life Center, he’s raised millions to empower players with disabilities, proving that accessibility isn’t just ethical—it’s critical. Through partnerships with industry giants like Microsoft, Sony, and EA, Steve has driven award-winning innovations that make gaming more inclusive for over fifty million disabled players in the U.S. Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a progressive and terminal disease, Steve has turned personal challenges into a powerful force for industry-wide change. His work has earned recognition from Forbes, The New York Times, and CNN, along with awards from the Video Game Awards, Game Developers Conference, and beyond. As Steve says, “Accessibility isn’t about doing what’s easy—it’s about doing what’s right. And when you get it right, everyone wins.” 

Important Registration Information

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Redeem your signup code to complete your registration

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Accommodations

This live webinar will be captioned in English (United States). Zoom desktop client or mobile app is required to access captions.

Attendees using screen readers are advised to turn off speech prior to joining the Zoom event because PLA webinars make extensive use of chat functionality. Attendees who find chat distracting may wish to disable it in the Zoom event, as PLA moderators will verbally highlight important topics raised in chat and chat transcripts will be provided post-webinar.

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your participation in this webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) at least two weeks prior to the webinar. Without prior notification of need, we may not be able to provide appropriate accommodations for the live event.

Archived Recording

If you're unable to attend this live webinar, an archived recording will be available to all registrants typically within 1–3 business of the live event. Access to closed captions will be provided in the webinar recording.

Tech Requirements

This webinar will be presented using the Zoom platform. Please review Zoom technical requirements and support information, and test your connection.

Once you've joined the webinar, there are two ways to connect your audio: via computer (VoIP) or via telephone. No microphone is required. PLA works with its webinar platform provider to assure the highest quality audio is being delivered to attendees. However, variables over which PLA has no control—such as the speed of your Internet connection or traffic on your local network—can affect the end quality of the webinar audio delivered by your computer. Each webinar’s audio is also available by telephone via a toll number, so we recommend you have access to a long-distance enabled phone as a backup in case you experience audio issues with VoIP. If you do encounter any problems during the webinar, you will receive a link to its archived recording within a week of the live event and can review anything you missed.

Contact

This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Questions about this webinar? Please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).