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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies

Part2:Country studies

Sweden

Rights and attitudes

The Swedish library service for print impaired people is supported by the following legislation: The Swedish Constitution, Copyright Law, Library Law, The Swedish Assistance Benefit Act and Postal regulations.

The Swedish Constitution

The Swedish Constitution (section 2) states that all citizens are guaranteed freedom of information and freedom of speech. This implies that print handicapped citizens have the right to written information through whichever medium they can access.

Library Law

Swedish Library Law is a framework law, stipulating that every municipality shall provide library services for its citizens. Article 8 states that public libraries and school libraries shall pay special attention to disabled persons and their need for literature.

The Swedish Assistance Benefit Act

The Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments states that each municipality must take measures to provide persons with certain functional impairments with necessary daily services and information.

Postal regulations

According to Section 2 of the Swedish Postal Regulations, Sweden has agreed to follow the regulations laid down by the Universal Postal Union stating that braille books and talking books are delivered free of postage to and from libraries for the blind and their borrowers.

Rights are enshrined in law; Sweden has a Roman law foundation so case law does not apply. A distinctive feature of Swedish legislation is its emphasis on framework laws. These establish the direction and objectives of government policy. Those responsible for the activity concerned, municipalities or county councils, then have considerable freedom in interpreting the objectives and shaping their activities themselves.

Sweden has three laws prohibiting discrimination, one of the grounds cited being disability. The first, the Prohibition of Discrimination in Working Life of People with Disability Act, was adopted in 1999. This was followed in 2002 by the Act on Equal Treatment of Students at Universities and in 2003 by the Prohibition of Discrimination Act, which applies among other things to trading in goods and services.

Sweden does not have a law specifically establishing the rights of all people with disabilities. Instead, certain laws contain clauses that apply specifically to disabled people, including the Planning and Building Act and the Social Services Act.

Also, the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) was introduced in 1994. This is a rights law supplementing other legislation. Its aim is to give people with extensive disabilities greater opportunities for leading an independent life and to assure them of equal living conditions and full participation in community life. Support may take the form of personal assistance in everyday life, counselling, housing with special services, or relief provision for the parents of children with disabilities.

As its name shows, the law applies only to certain groups of disabled. People not covered by the law can seek assistance from their municipal authority under the Social Services Act.

General - buildings and culture

According to the Government’s plan for equal access there will be equal access to buildings by the year 2010. Since 1980 Sweden has had a cultural policy for all.

Education

Full rights in comprehensive schools, except for dyslexics. But for university/college students there is a law giving them general rights as well as free text books in alternate formats.

The Equal Treatment of Students in Universities Act

The Equal Treatment of Students in Universities Act - came into force in Sweden in the spring of 2002. This law states that no student at a university or other higher education institution must be discriminated against or otherwise differently treated on grounds of origins, sex, sexual orientation, or disability. This covers all levels of the studies: admission, study environment, teaching, and examination. The law enjoins all universities annually to draw up plans of action covering measures necessary to encourage and strengthen the students’ equal rights regardless of ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and disability.

Specific Rights to library services

8th section of the Swedish library law, as referred to above.