Everyone should be able to enjoy and experience the art and culture they like regardless of any disability. One of the reasons some people don’t do the things they like or want to do is a fear of what an actual venue is like.
And by venue, I mean anywhere something is happening you want to be part of, join in with or simply experience. And that for me includes libraries, be they your local one or one of the more high profile places of learning.
The purpose of this piece is to describe how I found my way to The Word and what I discovered when I got there. I have sight loss and need someone with me to help me navigate about the venue. In addition I’ve tried to look at obstacles others may face.
The Word
To describe The Word simply as a library does it a major disservice. The building is stunning, set over four circular floors it has a panoramic view across the Tyne. Opened in 2016 it has won architectural awards, and rightly so. I suppose it’s best described as a community hub.
Location/getting there
Located at the very top of South Shields main shopping street and next to the famous market the building that is The Word is distinct and unmissable.
If traveling by car there are nearby car parks, some free but with time limits and a relatively short walk from the building. The immediate area is well served for wheelchair use although from the closest car parks there is a slight uphill slope.
By bus or Metro you arrive in South Shields at the transport hub. It’s not quite half a mile from The Word, a fairly level and unobstructed walk – leave the transport hub by the main door, walk straight to main street turn left and walk until you get there – easy!
A big plus is you can get to within 200 yards of The Word on the Shields Ferry and it’s a short slightly uphill slope to the building.
Actually, getting into the building is so easy and well set out, as you’d expect from a new specially designed building. No steps and open plan ground floor
What’s there
Well first and foremost it’s a library. You can join – even if you don’t live in South Tyneside – all you need is some personal ID eg a bus pass and a utility bill showing your address and it’s free!
The ground floor has a small, always – or at least every time I’ve been there – staffed information point to your righthand side. In front of you is the café, to the left a small gift shop and further to the right an exhibition space. Further into the ground floor is a children’s play area which includes ‘Lego’ – maybe that’s for some of us older visitors too!
Floors 2 & 3 are mainly library related but with nooks and crannies for groups, mother & toddler story telling, local history or an area for reading newspapers/magazines. The top floor (4th) has a meeting/events room.
Activities
These are varied and change regularly. South Shields Chess Club have taster sessions on Tuesday and Saturday mornings with about ten boards playing, they are a friendly bunch and it doesn’t seem to matter how good your skill set is to have a game.
The exhibition space caters for all sorts of exhibitions which change regularly.
There is a gaming area for playing computer games.
There is an annual writing festival which has talks and workshops galore
Actually, so much goes on I couldn’t possibly list it all here.
Toilets, lifts, and stairs
The Word is served by an exceptional toilet layout. Individual, any gender cubicles on every floor and a disabled persons’ toilet on every floor right next to the lift doors. The disabled toilet on the ground floor has a special changing table with hoist facilities. Planned and thought out properly
Lifts are every floor and are double opening with both audio and visual announcements
Stairs – there is a circular staircase in the centre of the building which is a feature and with a smooth fixed hand rail.
Quite simply this building and the facilities available in it make a visit for a person with any physical disability as easy as it can be.
