Susan Bourrie graduated from Michigan State University with an Educational Specialist Degree (ABD) in Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy with an emphasis in Vision, Literacy, and Learning. Her Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature and Master’s Degree in School Library Media are from Central Michigan University. She completed ALA accredited core classes in Library Science at The University of Michigan.
During her career as a university lecturer, Susan taught courses in children’s literature, composition, research writing, advanced research writing, writing for the professions, and reading: Pre-K through 4th Grade. Her blog, Loving What is Left While Living with Low Vision (2012-2022) that taught patients how to live with potentially blinding eye diseases rather than merely cope with them, and her collaborative efforts with librarians helped bring adaptive technology, outreach services, book clubs, and support groups for the blind and physically handicapped into public libraries. Her blog also promoted the early screening of children for potentially blinding eye diseases.
Susan grew up in LaSalle, Illinois. She was born with open angle glaucoma that optometrists and ophthalmologists failed to diagnose or treat for twenty-two years. When she wasn’t able to pass the test for a driver’s license at age sixteen, one doctor even said she was just “a high-strung bookworm with eye strain.” Because she went through school with a slow reading speed, Susan gravitated towards poetry and children’s books where there were fewer words and larger print. Publishing credits in children’s magazines and newspapers opened the door to university lecturing while she still had only a Bachelor’s Degree from Northern Illinois University.
After the glaucoma was diagnosed and treated with medications and five eye operations during the next twenty-two years, Susan’s vision loss didn’t measure as legally blind. She was not eligible for any low vision patient education or services. A legally blind student, a totally blind student, and a rehabilitation counselor assisting one of these students collaborated with the Commission for the Blind to get her a closed circuit tv, computer with screen-reading software, scanner that could read typed print, talking books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and audio textbooks from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexics (now Learning Ally). Susan also received white cane and mobility training before becoming legally blind when her poor vision led to a near-fall down a flight of library stairs where the railing didn’t come up to the top step. With these resources, she was able to complete graduate studies and continue lecturing as newly diagnosed cataracts reached the legally blind stage.
Susan enjoyed speaking to future leaders in classes at the School of Social Work and the School of Library Science at The University of Michigan who were interested in making technology, transportation, and services more accessible for the blind and print impaired as well as patients who are living with potentially blinding eye diseases. She also was a member of The University of Michigan Council for Disability Concerns and the Washtenaw County Commission for Disability Issues.
Having experienced discrimination during her job search in higher education, Susan is passionate in her efforts to improve the consistently low employment rate of the blind and visually impaired that has remained steady for many decades in spite of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even more troubling since the pandemic is the loss of independent living centers and transportation services. Cities that were once accessible are now obstacle courses where sidewalks are blocked by outdoor restaurants, other sidewalks and streets are blocked by construction detours. New buildings are designed with curved hallways as older buildings are also being renovated with a more modern interior design. As architects and city planners make independent travel less accessible, the question that must be asked is, “Why are the blind being left behind?”
Mortimer J. Readabook, the Medicine Man drove through town in his big white van. As he brought books to children, “He gave a boy several books in Braille and said he’d send some tapes by mail.”
From “Mortimer J. Readabook, the Medicine Man.” Humpty Dumpty’s
Magazine, Nov. 1986.