Roll with Disadvantage Mapping barriers to access in public Libraries | Kama Cerimele and Patrick Evans

Different Perspectives

For some, a trip to the public library is at worst a mild inconvenience and at best a wonderful, magical, transformative time. For others, though, libraries can host a veritable monster's dungeon of barriers, obstacles and hostilities, passive or otherwise. It is our goal to represent those barriers to access of "atypical patrons," ie, racial and sexual minorities, the unhoused, people with accessibility needs, etc...in the form of a Dungeons and Dragons "battle map."

Theory

The intention behind mapping this out in a Dungeons and Dragons "battle map" may seem like making light of serious issues--indeed, "gamifying" barriers to access should raise eyebrows. However, this model was undertaken with the following in mind:

One, this format allows us to ground this project in the experiential. It is one thing to read about different barriers to access affecting different populations, but its another to physically place them all together in one model that simulates the experience of traversing a library that may be different from the hegemonic norm. In keeping with the principles of data feminism, it reorients traditional norms of data into less explored perspectives.

Two, by framing/reframing these obstacles in the language of Dungeons and Dragons, the focus is on their constructed nature. Therefore, it shows that the barriers are not coincidental or natural, but constructed, and like traps in DnD, if they are constructed, they can be dismantled.

Third, baked into the core mechanics of DnD is an emphasis on chance. An "atypical patron" may go to the library and have a perfectly fine visit. They may also have a terrible experience. These factors are not arbitrary, but to the individual, they feel like chance. They happened to have a librarian who was unhelpful, or fellow users who were unfriendly, etc. Mapping this out in a DnD format shows that a positive or negative experience can be as tenuous as a roll of the dice.

In our project, we highlight the following barriers. These categories are not discrete nor all encompassing, but represent commonalities from our research, and what we are able to physically represent in our chosen medium.

Spatial

Transportation (DeMaagd et al. 2013)
Physical accessibility (Riley & Wales 2002)
Library signage & design (Warren & Epps, 2016)

Community

Librarian-patron relationships (Smith, 2016)
Service awareness (Urban Library Councils, 2014)
Policing (Lipinski & Saunders, 2021; Public Libraries 2005)

Cultural

Institutional racism, cultural (in)competency, lack of representation (Overbey & Folk 2022)

Technology

Computer and technology policies, privacy (DeMaagd et al. 2013)

Access to services

Fees (Dubberly, 1986)
Staff & service shortages (McCahill, Birdi, & Jones, 2021)

Model

Building a DnD battlemap can either be as complex as a 3-dimensional miniature set, or as simple as a paper grid with quick sketches. There are even online platforms that allow you to share a digital map with other players around the world.

However, for this project, while we would have liked to have spent dozens of hours and lots of resources to create an accurate scale model of a quasi-fantasy library, we were restricted both by the parameters of the assignment and practicality itself.

Raw Materials

The first task was in gathering cardboard to serve as the "building" itself. Between departmental computer deployments and personal purchases, there was more than enough to choose from. We ended up selecting a box that opened up so that its flaps could serve as "walls" for the library.

From there, we needed to decorate the box to make it look less, er, boxy and more like a library. This was when we began to use the Equity in the Making (EITM) makerspace in SILS. We were able to repurpose some felt for carpeting and an unused laser-printing wooden slat as flooring.

Details

Now that we had something of a blank canvas, we needed details! A library needs bookshelves, desks, etc. Initially, we had brainstormed ideas to use the 3D printers both in the EITM and in Kenan Maker Space to produce what we needed, but we ran into a few technical problems, the primary being that 3D printing is expensive, both in time and manufacturing (labor, parts, etc)

So, we returned to the EITM, and dropped one dimension from 3D to 2D. Rather than creating 3D models of furniture, etc, we decided to laser-cut 2D "silhouettes" of bookshelves, computer and reference desks, etc around which players could move. This was faster, more cost effective, and simpler in some ways, though not in others!

Some pieces, like the computer tables or reference desks, were simple, and with the assistance of the staff in the EITM, we were able to cut simple shapes and engrave them with pictures of laptops, desktops, etc. Some, however, had to be custom-made using Inkscape, a free design program. In the image above, the shapes are intended to be bookshelves as seen from above, with books jutting out of the stacks. This design was simple, a rectangle with smaller rectangles jutting out from its sides. However...

Because we failed to "combine" the shapes before printing, rather than cutting the outline, it cut every single shape, leaving book-shaped chunks missing from the library. Possibly poignant piece, but not a very good bookshelf. But this is a learning experience! So, after revisiting the design, we were able to print the bookshelves correctly, as well as the desks.

Miniatures

What's a library without people? Just an empty room with some books! We needed librarians, other patrons, and, of course, players!

Assembly

Once we had the base, the models and the miniature, it was simply a matter of putting it all together! The miniatures and models needed painting, the base needed gluing, and in no time at all, we had a library!

Guide

However, a map is only as good its mechanics. Behind every good game of DnD are dozens if not hundreds of pages of notes, indices, and more, explaining the world of the game with which the players can interact.

To that end, we created a "rule book" for the map, that not only explained the 'game' we were setting out to create but also provided text that showed how we were converting these barriers to access into the metaphorical language of a Dungeons and Dragons game. This booklet works both as a guide for us playing through the game as well as gives anyone who is interested in the mechanics of our artifact a chance to learn what we're trying to do without having to play, if they were so inclined.

To see the full guide, visit the Canva file here!

Mechanical Difficulties

When using Dungeons and Dragons as a visual, physical and mechanical metaphor, various difficulties arose. Dungeons and Dragons has its own troublesome history, in particular with Gary Gygax, one of the co-creators of Dungeons and Dragons, who was a noted biological determinist; Gygax believed "different races of people were biologically distinct and capable of different things in life" (Thomas, 2023). One can see this played out in the game--from strength bonuses to personalities to even morality (ie, certain races are almost always 'evil'), biological determinism is part of the essence of D&D.

However, there are difficulties even in seemingly simple and integral mechanics such as skill checks when mapping things as complex as social justice issues and the experiences of marginalized communities.

A "skill check" is one of the core mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons. In a typical scenario, the player will attempt an action--picking a lock, looking for a hidden door, persuading a guard to let one by, etc. The DM will choose the appropriate skill--sleight of hand, investigation, and persuasion, respectively--and set a Difficulty Class, or DC, for the player to try and meet by rolling a 20-sided die. This DC can be low and thus the task easy, such as a DC 5, or it can be high and nearly impossible, such as a DC 20.

This is all fine and good for fantasy actions, but what about real world attempts to overcome an obstacle? Particularly when that obstacle is based in an unjust system? If a player were to "fail" to persuade a biased librarian that they belong in the library, or fail to find a book with signage not designed for people with visual impairments, how does that reflect on the player? Is it their 'fault' that they didn't succeed?

However, part of what we wanted to illustrate isn't the idea of personal responsibility, but chance. If a player were to find a physical barrier that impedes their character, it's not the player's fault, but shows how they are a victim of chance.

Another difficulty is in the breadth and intersection of challenges and barriers, and how they map onto the mechanic of skill checks and Difficulty Classes. When applied in a game, DCs have no meaning beyond the immediate narrative and gameplay needs of the moment. However, when mapped onto real world problems, seemingly arbitrary designations take on new meaning. If one were to classify overcoming an accessibility obstacle as a DC 10, and persuading a biased librarian to let one remain in the library due to their housing status as a DC 15, that would imply that being a person with a physical disability is "easier" than being an unhoused person. Such comparisons are troublesome and only serve to divide, rather than unite marginalized groups. To avoid this, all DCs were set to 10, which, on a d20, is slightly less than the average roll (10.5), giving people a slightly better than 50-50 chance at success.

Works Cited

Are Public Libraries Criminalizing Poor People? A Report from the ALA’s Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty Task Force. (2005). Public Libraries, 44(3), 175.

Cronin, B. (2002). What a library is not. Library Journal, 127, 46. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/LHPeaden/cronin-what-a-library-is-not

DeMaagd, K., Chew, H.E., Huang, G., Khan, M.L., Sreenivasan, A., & LaRose, R. (2013). The use of public computing facilities by library patrons: demography, motivations, and barriers. Government Issue Quarterly, 30(1), 110-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2012.07.009

Dubberly, R. A. (1986). Managing NOT to charge fees. American Libraries, 17, 670.

Lipinski, B., & Saunders, N. (2021). Welcoming Spaces, Welcoming Environments: Addressing Bias and Over-Policing in Libraries, Journal of Library Administration, 61(8), 1017-1022, https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2021.1984147

McCahill, D., Birdi, B., & Jones, R. B. (2020). Investigating the public response to local government decisions to reduce or remove public library services. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 52(1), 40-53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618768028

Overbey, T., & Folk, A. L. (2022). Narratives of (dis)enfranchisement: Reckoning with the history of libraries and the Black and African American experience. American Library Association.

Riley, C. A., & Wales, B. (2002). Reality check: barriers to accessibility in an ADA-compliant library. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 9(1), 41–48. https://doi-org.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/10.1300/J106v09n01_05

Smith, M. (2016, December 21). Library Policies Created By Patron Bashing. Library Lost & Found. https://librarylostfoundblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/21/library-policies-created-by-patron-bashing/

Thomas, Christopher. (2023, Jan. 2). How a new generation of gamers is pushing for inclusivity beyond the table. PBS https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-a-new-generation-of-gamers-is-pushing-for-inclusivity-beyond-the-table.

Urban Library Councils (2014). Breaking Down Barriers to Library Services. https://www.urbanlibraries.org/innovations/breaking-down-barriers-to-library-services

Warren, R., & Epp, C. (2016). Library space and signage kindness audits: What does your user see? Partnership : The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 11(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v11i1.3602

Textures Used

Walls: Beige plaster wall texture background by zephyr_p, Adobe Stock #103073377

Brick: Brown brick wall, PickPik

Windows: free seamless texture window 22 by zaphad1, Flickr

Bathroom Doors: Bathroom toilet door vector design illustration Free Vector by emiltimplaru, Vecteezy