TY - JOUR AU - Bayat Bodaghi, Nahid AU - A.N., Zainab AU - Bayat Bodaghi, Nahid AU - Zainab, A.N. PY - 2017/03/22 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - My carrel, my second home: Inclusion and the sense of belonging among visually impaired students in an academic library JF - Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science JA - MJLIS VL - 18 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - UR - http://mjlis.um.edu.my/index.php/MJLIS/article/view/1835 SP - AB - <p>Bayat Bodaghi, N., &amp; Zainab, A. N. (2013). My Carrel, My Second Home: Inclusion and the Sense of Belonging Among Visually Impaired Students in an Academic Library.&nbsp;<em>Malaysian Journal of Library &amp; Information Science,&nbsp;Vol.18, no. 1: 39-54.</em></p><p><em>This paper explores visually impaired persons’ (VIPs) sense of belonging in a university library&nbsp;</em><em>context. It focuses on their perceptions of and experiences with study carrels located in the university&nbsp;</em><em>library. Data were collected during interviews and focus group discussions. Participants consisted of&nbsp;</em><em>five female and thirteen male students between the ages of 20 and 37 years. Participants considered&nbsp;</em><em>their carrels as second homes where they felt safe, comfortable, and accepted. The carrels gave&nbsp;</em><em>them a sense of belonging. The carrels also served as social places where the VIPs could interact with&nbsp;</em><em>peers, volunteer readers, and other sighted students. The VIPs viewed their carrels as quiet havens&nbsp;</em><em>where they could study and learn. They felt they belonged to the library community and were proud&nbsp;</em><em>to be accepted as students at the university. The findings may increase library managements’&nbsp;</em><em>awareness of the need to include these types of spaces in future design.</em></p><p><em>&nbsp;</em></p> ER -