[WiZ] Accessibility Politics for Ghosts

[WiZ]

In the middle of town, there is a building containing a staircase leading to a blank wall. Why?

Autobiographical. No specialist knowledge required. No caveat.

[LemonCurry]

Was there a door once? Was it planned to build a door in the wall?

Is anyone supposed to climb onto or over the wall using the stairs? Are the stairs frequently used?

[Earnest]

Is the building under construction? Was there something in front of the wall before? Is the blank wall a piece of art? Has the wall been painted in white? Religion/culture relevant? Is the wall a wall of a room? Of a corridor? Or it just lead to a wall without the possibility of going in any other direction (i.e. once arrived to the wall one has to go back to the staircase)? Were the stairs themselves a piece of art?

Can the wall be painted by people. Has anyone access to the building? Does the wall cover something relevant? Was it there when the building has been projected and build? Can the wall be climbed? Are pictures relevant? Is the wall typically just blank? Or maybe it is the wall of a museum in ehich pictures are hang? Is sport relevant? Any opening in the wall? Is the wall big? Is it a false exit/entrance? Security relevant (e.g. to catch thieves)?

Is the building a public building? Politics relevant? Fountains? Banks? Hotels? A private building? An house? A shop?

[Zanreo]

Were the stairs meant to actually be used? Or were they intended for regular use when they were built? Were they just decorative?

[WiZ]

Oh, blast it all, I meant to run this as an OAATP. Too late now. Expect a single-digit solve.

LemonCurry

Was there a door once? no Was it planned to build a door in the wall? no

Is anyone supposed to climb onto or over the wall using the stairs? no Are the stairs frequently used? yes, more or less

Earnest

Is the building under construction? no Was there something in front of the wall before? no Is the blank wall a piece of art? no Has the wall been painted in white? yes (the specific colour isn't relevant, but assume blank monochrome) Religion no/culture please define relevant? Is the wall a wall of a room? yes Of a corridor? no Or it just lead to a wall without the possibility of going in any other direction (i.e. once arrived to the wall one has to go back to the staircase)? no Were the stairs themselves a piece of art? no

Can the wall be painted by people It could be, but that would be considered vandalism . Has anyone access to the building? yes Does the wall cover something relevant? no Was it there when the building has been projected and build? Yes, the wall was part of the plan from start to finish Can the wall be climbed? no Are pictures relevant? no Is the wall typically just blank? yes Or maybe it is the wall of a museum in ehich pictures are hang? no Is sport relevant? no Any opening in the wall? yes, good Q Is the wall big? not remarkably so Is it a false exit/entrance? no Security relevant (e.g. to catch thieves)? no

Is the building a public building? yes Politics relevant? no Fountains? no Banks? Hotels? A private building? An house? A shop? no to all

Zanreo

Were the stairs meant to actually be used? yes Or were they intended for regular use when they were built? yes, but this intention did not changeWere they just decorative? no

[irishelk]

Is there a doorway in the blank wall? =)

Is there another opening for people to go through? For people to put something through? A mail slot? A window into a kitchen?

Do people come in off the street to use the stairs? Would the people using it be called customers? Employees?

[WiZ]

Is there a doorway in the blank wall? =) No

Is there another opening for people to go through? no For people to put something through? yes A mail slot? no A window into a kitchen? no

Do people come in off the street to use the stairs? Sometimes Would the people using it be called customers? Employees? no to both

[Earnest]

So there are more openings right? And we can assume that they are all visible to people right? Relevant what was there on the other side of the wall? Other people? Could the wall be accessed both sides? If so were there stairs on the other side as well?

Do people put relevantly something through the openings? If so, in any part of the year? Did they expect something in return? Or maybe people just receive something if they put their hands in the openings? Is hygiene relevant? Environment? Christmas letters? Money? Charity? Technology? Is the wall a screen? Is something projected on it?

Can a card pass through the openings? A baseball ball? A basketball ball? An hand? A car?

[invisiblemimsy]

Is it relevant what is on the other side of the wall and/or its opening? Is theatre involved? E.g. this is behind stage and an actor pokes their head through the opening to be viewed by the audience on the other side? Is puppetry involved? Food? An offering? Death? A guillotine?

[WiZ]

Earnest

So there are more openings right? not relevantly And we can assume that they are all visible to people right? the one relevant opening is visible to all people, yes Relevant what was there on the other side of the wall? yes Other people? yes, sometimes Could the wall be accessed both sides? yes If so were there stairs on the other side as well? no

Do people put relevantly something through the openings? yes If so, in any part of the year? this is an everyday occurence Did they expect something in return? no Or maybe people just receive something if they put their hands in the openings? no Is hygiene relevant? Environment? Christmas letters? no to these Money? occasionally Charity? Technology? no to both Is the wall a screen? no Is something projected on it? no

Can a card pass through the openings? yes A baseball ball? not without excessive cajoling A basketball ball? no An hand? What, like a severed hand? Yes, it could A car? no

InvisibleMimsy

Nice to see you again.

Is it relevant what is on the other side of the wall and/or its opening? yes to both Is theatre involved? no E.g. this is behind stage and an actor pokes their head through the opening to be viewed by the audience on the other side? n/a Is puppetry involved? Food? An offering? Death? A guillotine? no to all

Your mention of guillotines reminds me: When I was teaching in France, I was trying to cut out activity cards using the guillotine in the staffroom, which was as sharp as a bowl and generally useless. I found this disconcerting: had these guys not spend two hundred years using these to chop off the heads of the aristocracy? Ought these things not be able to cut paper?

[Balin]

I'm more intrigued that the staffroom had a guillotine.

Is the other opening a window?
Is the wall on a castle?

[WiZ]

Is the other opening a window? no
Is the wall on a castle? no

The staffroom guillotine was a paper guillotine as we would normally conceive of it, alas - it wasn't the sort of guillotine that comes with a basket, though that would have made the exercise of cutting the cards out so much more fun.

[Earnest]

Are people on the other side workers? Can they be seen by people on the other side (I mean people having done the stairs?)? Can they be perceived? Can just a part of them be seen? The hand? (E.g. a shop selling rings and "hand models are on the other side")

Do people go on the wall mainly: in free time? To conduct affairs? To manage their money? To visit the building? To buy a ticket? To buy something in general?

[WiZ]

Are people on the other side workers? yes Can they be seen by people on the other side (I mean people having done the stairs?)? typically not Can they be perceived? they could potentially be heard, but this isn't relevant Can just a part of them be seen? The hand? (E.g. a shop selling rings and "hand models are on the other side") the solution is not in this vein

Do people go on the wall mainly: in free time? yes To conduct affairs? yes To manage their money? no To visit the building? not for its own sake, no To buy a ticket? no To buy something in general? no

[Earnest]

Is entertainment relevant? Affairs = they buy something? Talk with people on the other side? Have interaction with workers? Commercial interactions? Reading palm relevant? Do workers gather objects? Take something from people coming on the wall's opening? If so, in order to reuse it? To sell it back to someone? To leep them until the owner comes back again?
Let's call side A = side of people; side B = side if workers.
After the something is put on side B by people, do workers speak with the person on side A? If so, based on what side A person has left to him?

Do people go there to shake hands? Had people seen workers on the other side, would the puzzle have still worked? Do people follow a row? If so, to go to the opening? Do they put pieces of papers on the other side? Old stuffs? Phones? Pictures? Paintings? Valuable objects? Technology (CDs...)? Letters? Books to be returned? Something they do not use anymore? Do they throw something?

Does something happen after that someone has put an object inside the opening? If so, inside the toom with the wall? Is the something put, private? Intimate?

[WiZ]

Is entertainment relevant? yes Affairs = they buy something? no Talk with people on the other side? typically not Have interaction with workers? sometimes, but not relevantly Commercial interactions? typically not Reading palm relevant? no Do workers gather objects? yes Take something from people coming on the wall's opening? yes, eventually If so, in order to reuse it? yesish To sell it back to someone? noish To leep them until the owner comes back again? no
Let's call side A = side of people; side B = side if workers. Sure
After the something is put on side B by people, do workers speak with the person on side A? typically not If so, based on what side A person has left to him? n/a

Do people go there to shake hands? no Had people seen workers on the other side, would the puzzle have still worked? yes Do people follow a row? yes, if there are a lot of them If so, to go to the opening? yes Do they put pieces of papers on the other side? yes, see later answers Old stuffs? often Phones? Pictures? Paintings? Valuable objects? Technology (CDs...)? Letters? no to these Books to be returned? yes!! Something they do not use anymore? yes Do they throw something? I hope not

Does something happen after that someone has put an object inside the opening? yes If so, inside the toom with the wall? yes Is the something put, private? no Intimate? Sometimes.

Good progress. So why the staircase?

[Earnest]

Are the staircase considered something to make people do an effort? Can we assume the wall around staircases to be empty (no images or other things)? Do people arrive already having the books they want to return?

Do people sit on the staircases? Can people choose other books and take them? Talk to other people returning books for further suggestions? Do people rest on staircases? Do people relevantly has to respect an expuration date (as in a library) within which they have to return the books? Had people read the books they return? Relevant? Are the staircase wanted so that people feel fatigued at the end and would like to rest maybe reading another book? Are books just returned? Are there devices that allow people to choose other books?

[peter365]

Any play on the word storey/story?

[WiZ]

Earnest

Are the staircase considered something to make people do an effort? no - at least, not for the effort's own sake Can we assume the wall around staircases to be empty (no images or other things)? correct Do people arrive already having the books they want to return? yes

Do people sit on the staircases? no Can people choose other books and take them? yes Talk to other people returning books for further suggestions? yes Do people rest on staircases? no Do people relevantly has to respect an expuration date (as in a library) within which they have to return the books? yes, and this takes place at a library Had people read the books they return? most likely yes Relevant? no Are the staircase wanted so that people feel fatigued at the end and would like to rest maybe reading another book? no Are books just returned? yes Are there devices that allow people to choose other books? yes, if I understand your question correctly

Peter

Any play on the word storey/story? No (my local library only has one storey, which says a lot about how much we champion literacy in Wellington!)

[Earnest]

Do staircase distinguish the library from another place? Do they have a practical use? (If so when climbed? When people get off them?) Are they used just to people who want to return a book? Also by other people? (E.g. people usually return books during their daily run so staircases are comfortable as a training obstacle). Or maybe they just allow the wall to be in a raised place so that once at the end of the stairs one can admire a panorama...or see who is returning a book?
Relevant when people usually return books? In their free days? During lunch? Others? Do staircase belong to the library? Are they relevant for the library? For people working there? For clients? For making representations? Presentations of books? Other events? For hosting important people? For the daily activities of the library?

[peter365]

Is the staircase route only for people with overdue books?

[WiZ]

Earnest

Do staircase distinguish the library from another place? no Do they have a practical use? yes (If so when climbed? yes When people get off them? no - other than being a means from which to get from the lower atmosphere to the floor) Are they used just to people who want to return a book? yes Also by other people? (E.g. people usually return books during their daily run so staircases are comfortable as a training obstacle). no Or maybe they just allow the wall to be in a raised place so that once at the end of the stairs one can admire a panorama...or see who is returning a book? no to both, and to the idea
Relevant when people usually return books? no In their free days? During lunch? Others? n/a to these Do staircase belong to the library? yes Are they relevant for the library? For people working there? For clients? this, primarily For making representations? Do you mean 'returns'? If so, yes Presentations of books? Other events? For hosting important people? no to these For the daily activities of the library? yes

Peter

Is the staircase route only for people with overdue books? no

[peter365]

So when you enter this library and you wish to return a book you walk up this staircase to a wall with nothing on it but a slot into which you put your books. They are collected and dealt with by staff on the other side, correct? Are there any books that cannot be returned by this method or is this the only way you can do it. Is the type of book relevant? whether it's hardback or paperback?

Is there some delicious pun at play here ? is this a gimmick or attempt at humour on behalf of the library ? Any cultural references ? Is the word staircase relevant (as opposed to the actual staircase)

Is there something about the building that's relevant? Planning or zoning relevant? Was the building used as something else in the past? Was it ever a church ?

[Earnest]

Are the staircase present for security reasons? (E.g. thieves are seen before and have ro do all staircases)
Do they constitute an obstacle for people in a rush? Ok...being a library...is silence relevant? (E.g. the staircases are covered by a fake grass which covers the noise of steps. People walking to the staircase rather preserve their breath than talk to each other?)

Do staircase constitute the main entrance of the library?
Relevant if a person is handicapped and cannot climb the stairs? Are there relevantly facilities? Is wi-fi relevant? Any border relevant? Were stairs constructed for structural reasons (e.g. the library was on a hill or an high place)? To preserve something of historical importance (e.g. knobs, railings, others)? To put something (also outside of the building) on an higher level than the ground level (so that is seen by everybody)? Animal entrance to library relevant?, are there relevant signals before the stairs? Do stairs alloe library to obtain something relevant? (E.g. because the building had more than one floor and just stairs, financing from the state were given to build up facilities for handicaooed people? Something like that?) Was there a path on the stairs that people must follow? Do staircase make the library unique in some sense? Are there other libraries having staircases for the same reason?

[WiZ]

Peter

So when you enter this library and you wish to return a book you walk up this staircase some people do to a wall with nothing on it but a slot into which you put your books. the rest is universally correct, so far They are collected and dealt with by staff on the other side, correct? yes Are there any books that cannot be returned by this method or is this the only way you can do it Assume this is the only way, although it isn't relevant as to why the staircase is there. Is the type of book relevant? yes, often whether it's hardback or paperback? but not this

Is there some delicious pun at play here ? not this time is this a gimmick or attempt at humour on behalf of the library ? no Any cultural references ? no Is the word staircase relevant (as opposed to the actual staircase) no

Is there something about the building that's relevant? no Planning or zoning relevant? no Was the building used as something else in the past? no Was it ever a church ? no

Earnest

Are the staircase present for security reasons? (E.g. thieves are seen before and have ro do all staircases) no
Do they constitute an obstacle for people in a rush? typically not Ok...being a library...is silence relevant? no. Shh. (E.g. the staircases are covered by a fake grass which covers the noise of steps. People walking to the staircase rather preserve their breath than talk to each other?) This isn't the solution, but a Singaporean government employee is frantically scribbling down notes somewhere

Do staircase constitute the main entrance of the library? no
Relevant if a person is handicapped and cannot climb the stairs? no Are there relevantly facilities? no Is wi-fi relevant? no Any border relevant? no Were stairs constructed for structural reasons (e.g. the library was on a hill or an high place)? no To preserve something of historical importance (e.g. knobs, railings, others)? no To put something (also outside of the building) on an higher level than the ground level (so that is seen by everybody)? no Animal entrance to library relevant?, no are there relevant signals before the stairs? no Do stairs alloe library to obtain something relevant? (E.g. because the building had more than one floor and just stairs, financing from the state were given to build up facilities for handicaooed people? no Something like that? no) Was there a path on the stairs that people must follow? no Do staircase make the library unique in some sense? no, there are probably other libraries in the world that do this - although I haven't seen any yet Are there other libraries having staircases for the same reason? I would speculate that there are

[peter365]

Is the number of steps relevant? Is there anything unusual about the staircase itself? Is is a spiral?

[invisiblemimsy]

Sorry if this has been asked already... but:
There is a stage play called 'Noises Off' where there is lots of running about, climbing upstairs (off set) and the actor poking his head through the window. In act 2 they actually reverse the set so you can see it from backstage. Is it something like that?

[Earnest]

Hahahahahha I guess i could open my own library.

Is the main role played by stairs to: avoid noise? Separate two sides of the library? Prevent people not interested in giving back or taking books to climb them? To make something visible/not visible to people entering? Dispose of the row? Allow employees to recognize people entering in advance? Security reasons? Avoid children to run? Dust relevant? Old books? Book theft? Staircase is used also by people who want to take a book? Or just to people who want to return a book? Relevant? Maybe the staircase divides the library into floors so that it is simpler to remember the section of the book/where it has been taken?

Would an elevator/escalators work as well?

Is phone usage relevant? Pictures? Ringtones? Is the library itself build around the staircase?

[WiZ]

Peter

Is the number of steps relevant? yes, broadly speaking Is there anything unusual about the staircase itself? noish Is is a spiral? no

InvisibleMimsy

Sorry if this has been asked already... but:
There is a stage play called 'Noises Off' where there is lots of running about, climbing upstairs (off set) and the actor poking his head through the window. In act 2 they actually reverse the set so you can see it from backstage. Is it something like that? no

Earnest

Is the main role played by stairs to: avoid noise? Separate two sides of the library? Prevent people not interested in giving back or taking books to climb them? To make something visible/not visible to people entering? Dispose of the row? Allow employees to recognize people entering in advance? Security reasons? Avoid children to run? no to all Dust relevant? Old books? Book theft? no to all Staircase is used also by people who want to take a book? no Or just to people who want to return a book? yes Relevant? It's not important outside of there being nothing there but a slot, which isn't much use to someone wanting to borrow a book Maybe the staircase divides the library into floors so that it is simpler to remember the section of the book/where it has been taken? no

Would an elevator (reading this as not necessarily an enclosed elevator with a shaft, but rather a platform that raises automatically)/escalators work as well? Theoretically yes, although it would be seen as something of an extravagance

Is phone usage relevant? Pictures? Ringtones? Is the library itself build around the staircase? no to all

[Earnest]

To be sure...let's say I want to return a book and borrow a new one...do I need to do the staircase to return the book and then go to another entrance to borrow a book? Or since I have returned a book it's ok if I go up the staircase?

So it is not used by people going out of the library with the books of the library right? Does it mean that it is not used by people going outside of the library at all? Or by people entering the library without any book/without the intention to return a book?

Do people returning books stop at different stages along the staircase? Are dates in order to return books relevant? (E.g. maximum time to return them) Are staircase useful once the book is returned (e.g. once returned, the book is returned it is put on an incline and gathered with other books)? Before it is returned? While it is returned? Is it useful to: classify the returned books? Put them in the original place? Find a new position if new books are arrived in the meantime? Fill the documentation that the book has been returned on time? Security reasons? Distinguish people who want to borrow from people who want to return? Separate them?
Are returned books relevantly gathered together?

[WiZ]

To be sure...let's say I want to return a book and borrow a new one...do I need to do the staircase you, Earnest, would not need to use the staircase under any circumstances to return the book and then go to another entrance to borrow a book? but the returns slot is in a different place to the issue desk/electronic issuing kiosk, yes Or since I have returned a book it's ok if I go up the staircase? Once the book is returned, there is no need to ascend the staircase

So it is not used by people going out of the library with the books of the library right? right Does it mean that it is not used by people going outside of the library at all? incorrect Or by people entering the library without any book/without the intention to return a book? these people would not use it

Do people returning books stop at different stages along the staircase? yes Are dates in order to return books relevant? (E.g. maximum time to return them) no Are staircase useful once the book is returned no (e.g. once returned, the book is returned it is put on an incline and gathered with other books)? Before it is returned? yes While it is returned? And yes Is it useful to: classify the returned books? Put them in the original place? Find a new position if new books are arrived in the meantime? Fill the documentation that the book has been returned no to all

[trebor]

Do only certain genres get returned through this slot? Or one specific genre?

Is this a normal public library? A university/school library? Is the staircase designed to make returning books more efficient for staff? For patrons? To make patrons returning books visible to other patrons? To offer an opportunity for patrons using it to find out about other books/library programs? Are other architectural features of the library relevant?

[Earnest]

you, Earnest, would not need to use the staircase under any circumstances ‐> because I am a HAM? Because I have internet access? Because I am part of the Forum? Because I am italian xD? Because I cannot access the library? Because I cannot access the staircase? Are staircase accessed just by certain people? Professors? People working with such books? Book restoring relevant? Are just certain types of book stored up the staircase? Are temperature conditions relevant?

Do all people returning a book need to climb the staircase at different stages? According to a criterion? Are staircase useful to: check the quality conditions of books returned? Do people relevantly exchange books?

Do people stop for minutes? Hours? Are the different stages in specific positions along the staircase? Relevant who go in upper positions? People with surname starting with Z? Or on every step? Do people stop at different stages before returning the books? Do people stop just at one stage on the staircase according to their necessity? Because they are asked to do so? Book donation relevant? Do people know at the moment they rent the book that they have to climb the staircase when they will return the book? Are such book exercise books? Books over which people can write? Vocabularies? Are copies relevant?

Do people stopping perform a relevant activity? Just stop there? Enter a door? Read a part of the book? Leave the books? Wait for their turn? Wait for corrections? Look for the book continuation/another edition of the same book? Is alphabetical order relevant? Rows? Do people stop at the n^th step according to how many book he/she returns? Or according to the genre? Is the library the library of the faculty of architecture? Are staircase useful just when more than one person want to return a book?

[peter365]

Is there less than 10 steps? between 10 and 20? More?

Are diabled people catered for in this system? Is the name of any particular book relevant? I can't get 'The 39 Steps' out of my head.

This one is proving very tough

[WiZ]

Trebor

Do only certain genres get returned through this slot? no Or one specific genre? One genre would be over-represented, but not unique

Is this a normal public library? yes A university/school library? no, although this approach might benefit a school library, too Is the staircase designed to make returning books more efficient for staff? no For patrons? yes, some of them To make patrons returning books visible to other patrons? no To offer an opportunity for patrons using it to find out about other books/library programs? no Are other architectural features of the library relevant? no

Earnest

you, Earnest, would not need to use the staircase under any circumstances ‐> because I am a H no A yes! M? no Because I have internet access? no Because I am part of the Forum? no Because I am italian xD? scorretto Because I cannot access the library? no Because I cannot access the staircase? no Are staircase accessed just by certain people? yes Professors? People working with such books? no to these Book restoring relevant? no Are just certain types of book stored up the staircase? no Are temperature conditions relevant? no

Do all people returning a book need to climb the staircase at different stages? no According to a criterion? I'll say no Are staircase useful to: check the quality conditions of books returned? no Do people relevantly exchange books? no

Do people stop for minutes? Hours? no to both Are the different stages in specific positions along the staircase? they'll be on different steps; people will stop on whichever is appropriate for them Relevant who go in upper positions? yes People with surname starting with Z? no Or on every step? Please rephrase Do people stop at different stages before returning the books? Each individual will make one stop Do people stop just at one stage on the staircase according to their necessity? yes Because they are asked to do so? no Book donation relevant? no Do people know at the moment they rent the book that they have to climb the staircase when they will return the book? yes Are such book exercise books? Books over which people can write? Vocabularies? no to these Are copies relevant? no

Do people stopping perform a relevant activity? no (other than putting the book in the slot) Just stop there? yes Enter a door? Read a part of the book? Leave the books? Wait for their turn? Wait for corrections? Look for the book continuation/another edition of the same book? no to rest Is alphabetical order relevant? Rows? no to these Do people stop at the n^th step according to how many book he/she returns? Or according to the genre? no to both Is the library the library of the faculty of architecture? No, it's a suburban public library.

Here it is:



Are staircase useful just when more than one person want to return a book? no

Peter

Is there less than 10 steps? yes between 10 and 20? More? no to both

Are diabled people catered for in this system? not by design - although it could cater for one particular disability Is the name of any particular book relevant? no I can't get 'The 39 Steps' out of my head. There might be a 12-step program to help you get it out!

This one is proving very tough The solution is actually quite simple; hopefully some of the answers this round will make things clear

[trebor]

Is this to do with height? Building a tiny staircase so children or little people can drop their books off in the same place that people of standard height would?

[WiZ]

Is this to do with height? Building a tiny staircase so children or little people can drop their books off in the same place that people of standard height would?

***** SPOILER *****

My local library has a (very short) staircase leading up to the return slot, so small children can return their own books.

Not so complex, after all. Well done, Trebor, on the solution, and thank you everyone for playing (and some very lateral ideas about how to rigorously enforce silence in a library).

[peter365]

NIce puzzle WiZ, guess we were overthinking this one.

[Earnest]

Yes definitely overthinking ahahahaha...nice one!