Inclusion culturelle et accès à l’information: Accessibilité des archives, bibliothèques et musées de Suisse romande aux personnes en situation de handicap

Abstract

The article examines the issue of cultural integration in the fields of heritage preservation, culture and information sciences, using the example of accessibility, in particular how archives, libraries and museums in French-speaking Switzerland can be made accessible to people with disabilities. Firstly, the article presents an overview of the current legal and political situation in Switzerland concerning disability, accessibility and cultural integration. It then discusses key elements of accessibility that are common to archives, libraries and museums and looks at the specific aspects of individual institutions and their tasks. Based on a survey and an interview we learn about the practical experiences with accessibility as reported by some archives, libraries and museums in French-speaking Switzerland. Finally, the article emphasises the crucial role that archives, libraries and museums play in the inclusion of people with disabilities into society and in raising public awareness of the issues of disability, accessibility and cultural integration. Its aim is to open the debate and make a first contribution to research on cultural integration in the field of information sciences and the preservation of cultural heritage in Switzerland.