Library Profile
Bev Speight - Department of Justice Court Librarian
Bev Speight, the Court Librarian with Justice, is an individual others can draw strength and inspiration from. Bev was born with a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss, caused by damage to the inner ear. She has had many obstacles to overcome, but she has risen above the challenges and now assists other hearing impaired individuals.
Bev joined the GNWT in the early 1980s as a secretary. She faced some frustration in this job because telephones, at that time, were not equipped for the hearing impaired.
Today, telephones have volume control and a flashing light that signals when it rings. This new technology helps, but telephone conversations can still be difficult, since Bev relies on speech reading. This allows Bev to read lips, a person's body language and facial expressions to interpret a conversation.
Bev's difficulties in her job are what drove her to seek advice from the Council for Persons with Disabilities. She is incredibly thankful to the Executive Director who showed her that her inability to hear was not her fault and that a lot could be done to help her overcome her disability. Bev later became an active board member. She has served nine years, including a stint as President.
Bev eventually moved to the Court Library to work as a Technician after taking some correspondence courses in library studies. In 1988, she headed south to further her education at the University of Alberta. "At university I met people my own age who were also hard of hearing," noted Bev, who began using Assistive Listening Devices to aid her hearing. She graduated with her Master's in Library and Information Studies in 1995.
Bev returned to the north in 1995, joining the Legislative Assembly as Branch Librarian. Justice welcomed Bev back last year as the Court Librarian.
When asked what is the most challenging aspect of her job today, Bev jokingly replies, "Hearing!" On a more serious note, Bev says, "there is nothing like helping a person 'see' what they can do with the technology available today, regardless of their hearing loss and; to help others become proactive and take responsibility for their hearing loss. We are not our disability."
Bev is currently involved with the Yellowknife Branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA), a support and advocacy group. She helps those with similar disabilities overcome the obstacles and challenges she faced and continues to confront. "Through helping others, I have learned to accept my disability," explained Bev. "This has greatly improved my quality of life."
To learn more about dealing with hearing loss and available resources, you can contact Bev at 873-8617.
