9.5.6 Personal contact with people with other forms of impairment

The general guidance at the beginning of this section will help you to communicate more effectively with people with intellectual impairments. In addition:

• Avoid jargon and difficult words: is there an easier way of saying what you want to say?
   
• One piece of information per (short) sentence is enough.
   
• Don’t use childish language when talking to adults with intellectual impairments.
   
• Make sure that people understand by asking questions in a different way, or asking people to put the information into their own words.
   
• Don’t offer too many choices at once.
   
• Always involve people in conversations about issues which affect them, and respect their right to choose.

Many people with intellectual impairments visit public libraries in groups. Talk to the group leader or the organisation that the group attends in order to find out the most appropriate ways of achieving best-quality communication with group members. The better your communication with people with intellectual impairments, the more effectively they will be able to use the library’s resources to develop their interests.

People with mental health difficulties may experience the library as a haven, or as a threatening place, at different times. The general guidance at the beginning of this section will help you to communicate more effectively with people with mental health difficulties. Listen again to the CD produced as part of the Library Council’s Mind Your Customers training workshop to remind yourself of the various ways in which people with mental health difficulties experience libraries. Remember to vary your level of eye contact, and to stay calm. Be patient, don’t judge and remember that everyone, including you, has days during which they find it hard to cope with simple things.

No matter who you are serving, remember to ask whether they need assistance, rather than assuming that they do. People have every right to decline your well-meant offer! If people do want assistance, ask them how you can help, rather than assuming you know. ‘In what way can I help you?’ is a form of words which makes it possible to accept or decline politely.