How to conduct a communication access audit for a public library

A communication access audit tests whether people who are Deaf or hard of hearing can find, understand and use every library service with dignity and independence. In Australia, the review must cover Auslan, speech, captions, written information and accessible digital content at counters, by phone and online, rather than assuming one channel serves everyone.

The strongest audit is co-designed with Deaf advisers, who should be paid for their expertise. It should combine observation, service records and user feedback across metropolitan branches in Melbourne or Sydney and regional or remote locations, where travel, staffing and interpreter availability may differ. The result is a practical change plan grounded in effective communication, not a checklist that confirms existing practice.

Audit area	What good practice looks like	Evidence to collect	Typical remedy
Counter and telephone	Information is spoken clearly, written visually and available through relay	Mystery-shop calls, counter observation, wait times	Scripted greetings, staff prompts and relay access
Digital services	Bookings, catalogues and event information work with assistive technology	Automated checks, keyboard tests and screen-reader tasks	Accessible templates, captions and clearer labels
Auslan provision	Qualified interpreters are bookable for routine and complex requests	Booking records, turnaround times and user feedback	A funded booking process and trained coordinator
Events and outreach	Language access is planned when events are scheduled	Event briefs, budgets and attendance feedback	Interpreter and captioning budgets in project plans
Written information	Core information is timely, plain and available in several formats	Readability review and format checks	Plain-language templates, Easy Read and transcripts

Set the scope and establish accountable governance

Start by defining what the audit covers: all branches, channels, service points and outreach activities, or a defined program such as children’s storytime. Most Australian public libraries are operated by local councils, while obligations and funding guidance vary by state or territory. Record which legislation, council policies and accessibility standards apply, and compare metropolitan Melbourne and Sydney branches separately from regional and remote sites rather than averaging away local barriers.

Create a small governance group with Deaf community representatives, branch librarians, customer-service staff, IT, communications and the procurement manager. Give advisers authority to examine complaints, call logs, booking records and incident reports while protecting privacy. A library can use an external provider for policy research support to organise comparative research or prepare a consultation brief, but local participants must validate the findings and retain decision-making control.

Map every channel used to deliver information

Build a channel-by-channel inventory, beginning with public-address announcements, telephone enquiries, emails, text messages, loan renewals, overdue notices, emergency closure messages, complaints and event bookings. For each channel, ask whether a person can understand the message without relying on sound alone, receive it promptly and respond through an equivalent route. A text-only emergency alert may exclude some visitors, while an unannounced change spoken only at a counter may exclude everyone not present.

Written and digital information should carry the same timeliness as spoken communication. Test library websites, e-books, PDFs, newsletters, catalogue records and social media for screen-reader access, keyboard operation, meaningful image descriptions, accurate captions and transcripts. Plain English and Easy Read can improve usability, but neither guarantees accessible design; reference the current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the Australian Government’s requirements for applicable public-sector content.

Review interpreter access and supporting technology

Examine how Auslan interpreting is requested, funded and delivered. Staff should know the difference between an interpreter and a support person, use appropriately credentialled interpreters such as those recognised by NAATI, and protect confidentiality in medical, legal, family or safeguarding contexts. Record the lead time for routine bookings, the route for urgent and complex requests, and the process when an interpreter is unavailable or a booking fails. Family members, including children, should not be pressed into interpreting roles.

Check hearing loops, relay access and remote interpreting as parts of the same communication system, not separate gadgets. Confirm that loops work and that staff activate them, while noting that many Bluetooth hearing devices do not use the older telecoil setting. The National Relay Service can support telephone access, but it does not replace Auslan provision. Regional Auslan may include local signing variation, so interpreter matching should consider each user’s preferences. For a legal clinic or any conversation involving statutory rights, legal communication guidance illustrates why legal interpreting requires an appropriately qualified practitioner.

Test real service journeys with Deaf auditors

Use paid Deaf auditors to test common tasks under realistic conditions, rather than asking only people already known to the library. A mystery shop might cover renewing a book by telephone, booking an Auslan interpreter, locating an accessible event, reporting an inaccessible webpage and making a complaint. Compare the expected and actual wait, the clarity of each response, the number of steps and whether the customer receives the same information through a chosen communication mode. Test branches in different cities and regional areas because central bookings and interpreter travel can create major variations in service.

Include community-led events alongside routine transactions. Ask auditors to evaluate whether interpreters have suitable lighting, sightlines and positioning; whether presenters can see questions in Auslan; and whether captioned video is ready before the doors open. Record practical failures, such as a booking form that loses interpreter preferences or a webinar without live captions. Combine observation with short interviews and accessible feedback methods so that findings reflect both service outcomes and user experience.

Prioritise remediation and resource allocation

Rate each finding by its effect on rights, task complexity, number of people affected, likelihood of recurrence and urgency. A failed emergency message may require immediate correction even if it is technically easy to fix, while an inaccessible historical archive may need a staged project. Separate reversible actions from structural work involving systems, contracts or capital equipment. This prevents visible improvements from distracting from higher-risk failures in urgent information, complaints or essential bookings.

Convert the priorities into an action register with an owner, due date, estimated cost, dependencies and evidence of completion. Short-term measures might include an accessible booking form, clear relay instructions, revised counter scripts and immediately available transcripts. Larger decisions might cover Auslan interpreting rosters, captioning services, loop maintenance and accessible website components. Obtain current quotes from the Australian interpreting and accessibility market, including travel and cancellation terms, and record why a proposed remedy is adequate in relation to effective communication.

Build staff capability and clear accountability

Training should prepare staff to communicate directly, check preferred communication methods and book interpreters without unnecessary delay. It should also address deafness, hearing loss, access equipment and the limits of lip-reading. Christopher Tester’s professional development workshops provide a model for focused interpreter education, and comparable sessions can include front-counter scenarios, online enquiry handling and simulated service barriers. Short refresher sessions can then test whether training changes everyday practice.

Assign a named access lead and a deputy, incorporate communication access into service procedures and event briefs, and give staff a simple escalation route for failed bookings or inaccessible systems. Include Deaf advisers in induction, policy reviews and procurement checks rather than consulting them only after a decision is complete. Track staff completion, but judge the programme through observed service improvements: fewer failed contacts, clearer requests and more accurate bookings.

Monitor, report and review the results

Publish a plain-language summary of the audit, its priorities, responsible officers and target dates, and provide an accessible version for people who cannot read the main report easily. Establish baseline measures such as interpreter booking turnaround, median telephone wait, caption error rate, inaccessible-content reports, complaint resolution and Deaf customer satisfaction. Pair each measure with an agreed target and collection method so that changes are visible without exposing the identity or communication history of individual users.

Review results after six months and again after twelve, repeating the most important service tests at a representative range of branches. Update the audit when channels, providers, technology or governing requirements change, while preserving earlier evidence to show whether promised corrections were delivered. The completed audit then becomes an operational record: each accepted action has an owner, budget and verification step, and the library reports publicly on progress against the commitments made to Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.