Accessibility Policy – House of Anansi Press

Accessible Customer Service Plan – Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.

Assistive devices

We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices we have on site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

Service animals

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

Support persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises. Fees will not be charged for support persons.

Notice of temporary disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at 128 Sterling Road (Lower Level), Toronto, ON M6R 2B7.

Training

House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf. This training will be provided to staff on their start date of employment and will continue until staff is familiar with requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.

Training will include:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• The company’s plan related to the customer service standard
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• How to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods or services to people with disabilities
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the company’s goods and services

Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service plan.

Feedback process

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited provides goods and services to people with disabilities can write us by post mail at this address: House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited, 128 Sterling Road (Lower Level), M6R 2B7, Toronto, ON, Canada, Attention of ASCS Officer or by e-mail to ascsofficer@houseofanansi.com.

All feedback, including complaints, will be dealt with utmost urgency by our Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Officer. Customers can expect to hear back within a reasonablly short time.

Modifications to this or other policies

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited provides goods and services to people with disabilities can write us by post mail at this address: House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited, 110 Spadina Avenue, Suite 801 Toronto, Ontario M5V 2K4, Canada, Attention of ASCS Officer or by e-mail to ascsofficer@houseofanansi.com.

Any policy of House of Anansi Press Inc. / Groundwood Books Limited that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.