Outreach to Addiction—A Month of Investing in Ability: A Case Study

Abstract

Coordinated and organized by a disabilities librarian, the University of Michigan's Council for Disability Concerns provides annual outreach programs with biomedical themes through a series of educational events known as Investing in Ability. Every effort is made to reach the campus and the surrounding community to promote the council's goals of increased accessibility for all individuals with physical or developmental challenges, to de-stigmatize such conditions, and to educate the audience about disability-related topics. In 2014, Investing in Ability focused on the pressing and pervasive topic of addiction. Because audience attendance and interest were the highest that they have ever been for previous Investing in Ability events, the project will serve as a model in the future, possibly as one for other committees to emulate.

KEYWORDS:

• Addiction
• disabilities
• Investing in Ability
• library outreach

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author thanks Zachary Wickline for his assistance in preparing this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Ercoli Schnitzer

Anna Ercoli Schnitzer, AMLS ([email protected]) is an Informationist specializing in Disabilities and Outreach, A. Alfred Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, 1335 East Catherine Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.