Monday, June 29, 2026

"Learning is for Everyone": Altoona's Library Service for People with Disabilities

This month, when I was doing a site visit at the Altoona Area Public Library (AAPL), I began my research with 10 boxes of material that had been pulled together into a Library Records Collection. Near the end of my first day, I was weary from reading a decade's worth of trustees meeting minutes. But I wanted to continue working if I could stand it, so I opened a box of scrapbooks. On top was a brown, string-bound volume with an intriguing title: "Our L.I.F.E. History." After flipping through the first few pages, I realized I'd found a treasure-trove of pamphlets and news stories pertaining to an innovative outreach program for people with disabilities. I was so engrossed that I remained in the library until closing time!

Scrapbook of Altoona Area Public Library's
L.I.F.E. program Photo by the author.

Among various social movements that took place in Pennsylvania during the 1960s-1970s, it could be argued that one of the greatest revolutions took place in the area of disability rights. First, the U.S. government began to require that facilities and programs receiving federal funds be accessible (see the 1968 Architectural Barriers Act and the 1973 Rehabilitation Act). About the same time, changes began in the educational realm, starting at the state level where the primary responsibility for schooling resides. Ever since 1874, Pennsylvania'S Constitution had required our state legislature to maintain a "thorough and efficient system of public schools" for all children aged 6 and over. However, this didn't necessarily include kids with disabilities. Those who were deemed "uneducable and untrainable" could be shunted toward state hospitals and other institutions that were focused more on controlling them than helping them. In 1971, several families took their school districts and other agencies to court (see PARC v. Commonwealth). Ultimately, they obtained a consent decree which required the state's education system to evaluate children with disabilities and place them in publicly-funded educational settings. Another important case, Halderman v. Pennhurst, challenged cruel conditions at a Pennsylvania state hospital. The plaintiffs successfully argued that confining residents there had violated their constitutional rights. These and other landmark decisions helped set the stage for additional federal actions. In 1975, for example, the U.S. Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children (EAHCA) Act (later called IDEA) that required all states to provide free, appropriate education in the "least restrictive environment" for every student. IDEA was one of various national laws that opened up schools, public facilities, job opportunities, and more for people with disabilities.

Unsurprisingly, public libraries that received federal funds or were closely allied with school systems sought to improve their services for blind, deaf, and other people with disabilities. However, AAPL was early among them. At the time, Altoona had a significant population because Blair County was home to Hollidaysburg State Hospital and residents were being integrated into surrounding communities. An estimated 3,000 people in the area had intellectual disabilities (see Forer and Zajac, pg. 6); additional youths and adults had other special needs. 

At present, I am not sure who originated the idea for AAPL's L.I.F.E. Center, but the earliest mention I have found so far is in the December 1974 meeting minutes of the library's board of trustees. They note that Matthew Kane, a recently-hired Head of Reference, informed the trustees that he planned to pursue a Library Services and Construction Act (federal) grant to fund a specialist to focus on serving patrons with disabilities. At first, some board members felt this was "unnecessary" because "other organizations are trained for handling services to the retarded." Kane pushed back, however, apparently arguing that there were informational gaps that the library could and should fill. A few months later, AAPL won a 1-year grant that covered a full-time coordinator, a part-time clerical assistant, and collection enhancements for the coming year.

At the time, people with intellectual disabilities were often called "mentally retarded," and words like "handicapped" and "impaired" were used to describe people with other disabilities. These terms, which we now understand as demeaning, appear often in AAPL's historical documents. However, L.I.F.E.'s operating philosophy revolved around "mainstreaming," an effort to *include* people with disabilities. At first, L.I.F.E. was an acronym for "Libraries Initiative Freeing Experiences"; over time, the mantra became "Learning is for Everyone." In addition to the typical literacy and recreational opportunities that libraries offered, L.I.F.E. intended help its clientele become better integrated across all aspects of everyday life in Altoona and Blair County. As described verbatim in a booklet written in the late 1970s by L.I.F.E's coordinators, their goals included: 
  1. "Serve mentally retarded [sic] persons of all ages and abilities by providing a collection of multi-media materials which they can borrow and that are best that are suited to their special needs; providing appropriate programs in which they can participate and find enjoyment;  and providing situations in which they can interact comfortably with other regular patrons.
  2. Serve parents, teachers, and advocates of retarded [sic] citizens by providing a multi-media collection on all aspects of mental retardation; providing a parent resource collection of instructional materials materials which which will help them them teach specific skills and concepts at home to their retarded children; providing an information-referral service; and providing programs in cooperation with the local chapter of the Pennsylvania Association Retarded Citizens to help parents of retarded children with their many special needs.
  3. Serve the general public by providing access to information on all aspects of mental retardation [sic] including career opportunities in this field; and providing a forum in which normal children and adults interact with the retarded, and through which their attitudes and misconceptions will hopefully be changed."
From September 1975 through the Spring of 1976, Anne-Marie Lehner (later Forer) was L.I.F.E.'s coordinator. A special education teacher who was pursuing a library science degree at Drexel, she first focused on preparing a space and acquiring appropriate materials. In particular, she purchased what were then called "high-low" (high-interest, low vocabulary) books developed for adults with emerging or limited reading skills. She also obtained parent training materials, as well as films, puzzles, toys, games, and posters that could be enjoyed by young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. When selecting them, she focused on simplicity of format, clear and uncomplicated directions, durability, and other qualities needed for shared public use. In addition to checking recommendation lists that were available at the time, Forer and her successor Mary Zajac visited other libraries and talked extensively with local organizations and parents about their needs.  

Altoona's L.I.F.E. Center officially opened on November 18, 1975. Initially staffed on weekday afternoons, incoming donations and volunteers later enabled it to extend its hours to include Monday nights and Saturday afternoons as well. An article in the Blair Press provides the most detailed documentation of what the center looked like during its first year. As shown in the image below, the center was located on the library's ground floor, adjacent to the Children's Department. Measuring about 13 by 30 feet, it was the size of a "large living room" and was carpeted like one. In addition to book shelves, cubbyholes at one corner housed kits and toys. There were also a large playhouse and multimedia stations. As reported by Matthew Kane at monthly AAPL's board meetings, L.I.F.E.'s users steadily increased: during the first month, it offered 2 dozen public programs which attracted more than 200 participants, more than 50 of whom registered for library cards. Special education classes from McKinley School, and groups from the Altoona's Children's Center, Easter Seals, and Social Rehabilitation Center, visited as well.

A full-page article about L.I.F.E. in the Blair Press, June 2, 1976. From the Our L.I.F.E. History Scrapbook, Altoona Area Public Library, Library Records Collection.

When Lehner (Forer) resigned to focus on her studies in Philadelphia, the project was taken up by Mary Zajac, another special education teacher who worked with teens at McKinley. Joining the effort near the end of a 1-year grant, it seems that Zajac was more focused on delivering public programs and securing additional funds so that L.I.F.E.'s work could continue. A series of "Parent Training Workshops" focused on different-aged people during each session, starting with preschool children. Each week for six weeks, language development, behavior management, self-help skills, and other topics were presented along with resources to help caregivers learn more. Free sign language courses, taught by volunteer Reverend Jack Emswiler, pastor of the Christ Second Lutheran Church, were offered as well. On the fun side, a series on Harry the Dirty Dog not only included read-alouds, but also a multisensory opportunity to meet Harry himself. There were also "Learn a Hobby" craft activities where attendees could try rock painting, stitching, and woodworking. The creativity of staff and volunteers was impressive. For example, one promotion they developed was the "Lifesavers Club" -- by obtaining a borrower's card and borrowing 10 items from the center, a L.I.F.E. user could receive a roll of Lifesavers candies or a Lifesavers lollipop. 


L.I.F.E. public programs in August 1976, as listed in AAPL's newsletter. 
From the Our L.I.F.E. History Scrapbook,
Altoona Area Public Library, Library Records Collection.

Public appreciation for L.I.F.E. resulted in some important donations and publicity. One of L.I.F.E.'s most important collaborators was the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC, now the ARC of Pennsylvania) which provided a $100-per-week stipend (about $600 in 2026 dollars) for a clerical worker who helped with basic public services and collection upkeep. The Altoona School of Commerce's Student Council also contributed, providing a $500 gift (about $2,800 in 2026 dollars). Due to the pathbreaking nature of L.I.F.E.'s work, Zajac was invited to speak at library conferences and other events. Perhaps for that reason, she teamed up with Anne-Marie Forer to author Library Services to the Mentally Retarded [sic]. Published by AAPL and the State Library of Pennsylvania in the late 1970s, the booklet included a description of L.I.F.E. and offered practical tips on collections and programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Aware that Altoona's program represented a "maximum effort" that most public libraries couldn't afford, Forer and Zajac recommended reaching out to local service organizations to learn about the size and needs of one's local population, then picking one age group or demographic to start with. Including children with disabilities in the library's regular story times, and reaching out to special education teachers as well as elementary teachers, were the most basic ways of including everyone. Self-education about current terminology, legislation, and resources was also important, they advised. These and other recommendations were so valuable that Forer and Zajac's booklet was forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education and distributed to hundreds of libraries nationwide through the ERIC microfiche service (see ED 165728). 

Mary Zajac (third from the left) was the 2nd Director of L.I.F.E. Here, she receives a donation from Tyke Rhodes (far right) and other members of the Altoona School of Commerce's Student Council. From the Our L.I.F.E. History Scrapbook, Altoona Area Public Library, Library Records Collection.

Unfortunately, despite L.I.F.E.'s successes and connections, AAPL encountered difficulty sustaining the center after the LSCA grant terminated. In 1976, the Altoona Area School District cut the library's budget, causing a cascade of problems that nearly resulted in AAPL losing its state aid. As the library sorted out its financial woes, Zajac applied for another grant which was initially approved by the State Library (the administrator of Pennsylvania's LSCA programs) and would have supported the center through June 1978. However, SLP pulled back the funds because of AAPL's ongoing budget deficits. Overtures to Intermediate Unit 08 (responsible for special education in Blair, Bedford, Cambria, and Somerset Counties), PARC, and other regional organizations were unsuccessful. Thus grant-funded staff were released in June 1977. In 1979, a new grant enabled AAPL to hire a temporary Director of Special Services, Elaine Hilsinger, to oversee L.I.F.E. and other efforts the library was making to reach blind, deaf, and homebound customers. However, when funding ceased in June 1980, she was laid off  as well. In between grants, Matthew Kane and other AAPL staff kept the center running using college students from various workforce development programs. He also recruited volunteers, especially through Altoona's Retired Senior Volunteering Service. However, L.I.F.E. never resumed the busy schedule of class visits and public programs that had been achieved during its first year. Judging from board minutes, it appears that as time passed, Kane's attention was redirected toward implementing and upgrading information technologies in other areas of the library. In Fall 1988, all L.I.F.E.'s books and audiovisual items were moved to other parts of the library and it became simply a "special area" within the children's department. 

In reflecting on L.I.F.E.'s promising start and its unfortunate demise -- a story that I've seen paralleled many times within other libraries trying to reach historically marginalized populations -- I see a wider concern that I want to explore and think about further. While these stories are fascinating and inspiring, I have to admit that from where I currently sit, the notion that temporary federal and state funds can "stimulate" ongoing local and private investment in public libraries simply doesn't pan out in a lot of cases. At all 6 of the libraries I've researched for my current project, most grant-funded service initiatives for non-white, aged, disabled, and other underserved customers disappeared after a few years. Importantly, as was the case in Altoona, this was not because of a lack of trying on the libraries' parts. And yet, a lot of library funding mechanisms, as created by national and state government officials, are steeped in this probably-fallacious idea. Further, because of the wonderful things that libraries can accomplish *when funded to do so*, professional and public expectations have increased, when, truthfully, the resources necessary to realize those hopes only materialize for those institutions that have the ability and energy to dollar-chase year after year. When other prerogatives arise -- such as the opportunity/need to automate library operations arose in Altoona (and everywhere else) during the 1980s/1990s -- fundraising for specialized services can fall to the wayside. Perhaps some librarians and their customers are consoled by the thought that something for a little while is better than nothing at all, ever. But this consolation may be a distinction without a difference if people with disabilities, or other historically-ignored groups in our communities, are left to go without far more often than they are served. If funders really want everyone to be welcome in libraries, they've got to put more permanent moneys where their mouths are. 

For more about AAPL's L.I.F.E. program, see:
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