Accessibility for Electronic Resources Librarians

DeLancey, Laura; Ostergaard, Kirsten

doi:10.1080/0361526x.2016.1254134

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Accessibility is making sure users with impairments are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions and enjoy the same services within the same timeframe as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use." 22 Not being able to reach the main content of a database without tabbing through every navigational link on a webpage is not an example of equivalent ease of use. important but often overlooked.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing Accessibility in the E-Resources Procurement Lifecycle: VPATs as a Practical Tool for E-Resource Acquisitions and Remediation Workflows at Academic Libraries

Falloon¹,

O'Reilly²

2020

The Serials Librarian

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Libraries within academic institutions need to comply with federal disability law. Specifically, the Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires electronic and information technology to be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Hence, Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs), provided by vendors based on their reported compliance to the recently updated Section 508, are being collected by librarians. However, they can be difficult to understand and are not always reliable, so VPAT verification and functional testing are recommended. The purpose of this paper is to document how two major public university libraries are approaching VPATs in a workable and time-effective manner during e-resource acquisitions and remediation workflows.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing Accessibility in the E-Resources Procurement Lifecycle: VPATs as a Practical Tool for E-Resource Acquisitions and Remediation Workflows at Academic Libraries

Falloon¹,

O'Reilly²

2020

The Serials Librarian

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“…Another interesting area of focus has been the incorporation of accessibility into collection development policies as a mean of using our purchasing power to pressurize vendors into prioritizing accessibility (Dermody and Majekodunmi, 2011; Schmetzke, 2015; Ostergaard, 2015; Delancey and Ostergaard, 2016). Asking vendors to disclose their accessibility policies during the procurement process has become routine at some institutions, often by means of requesting a voluntary product accessibility template (VPAT), a government-created aid to help people buy institutions purchase products that meet Section 508 standards (Wakimoto and Soules, 2011; Billingham, 2014; Blechner, 2015; DeLancey, 2015; Falloon, 2015; Ostergaard, 2015; Riley-Huff, 2015; Delancey and Ostergaard, 2016; Mune and Agee, 2016; Ng, 2017). This has the potential to influence vendors to prioritize accessibility.…”

Section: Achieving Accessibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining, evaluating, and achieving accessible library resources

Kimura

2018

RSR

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the library and information science literature related to the accessibility of digital resources by individuals with mental, physical or other impairments, to assess the state of research in the field and to explore new avenues for investigation. Design/methodology/approach There is an increasingly rich body of literature surrounding digital accessibility in libraries, ranging from practical guides for authors of Web content, to principles of universal design, to the ethical considerations of libraries subscribing to packages of digital content, to critical examinations of the accessibility guidelines themselves. This review is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive; less attention is given to studies of specific tools that will become quickly outdated, and more attention is given to underlying considerations and approaches that will remain relevant even as technologies change. Findings Many libraries and vendors have taken steps to provide equal access to websites and electronic resources in recent years. While the literature reflects an increasing level of critical engagement with concepts around disability and diversity, it also demonstrates methodological weaknesses in assessment projects that do not lead to meaningful accessibility. Originality/value This review offers theoretical and practical perspectives from recent work that can assist librarians in planning and decision-making, as they deal with an increasingly complex landscape of digital resources.

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“…As library professionals, we may often make assumptions of the accessibility of a third-party resource when the reality is that greater importance is placed on design of a product; accessibility components are either being added as special features or are being included once the design work is completed. 20 Tatomir and Durrance conducted a study on the compatibility of thirty-two library databases with a set of guidelines for accessibility they called the Tatomir Accessibility Checklist. 21 This list included checking the usability of these databases with a screen reader and braille renewable display.…”

Section: Existing Literature and Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These and similar considerations aim to help persons with impairments that may make reading a monitor or screen difficult. 8 Digital spaces like a research database are considered electronic information technology (EIT). EIT is defined as "information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that is used in the creation, conversion or duplication of data or information."…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enhancing Visibility of Vendor Accessibility Documentation

Willis

O'Reilly

2018

ITAL

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With higher education increasingly being online or having online components, it is important to ensure that online materials are accessible for persons with print and other disabilities. Library-related research has focused on the need for academic libraries to have accessible websites, in part to reach patrons who are participating in distance-education programs. A key component of a library’s website, however, is the materials it avails to patrons through vendor platforms outside the direct control of the library, making it more involved to address accessibility concerns. Librarians must communicate the need for accessible digital files to vendors so they will prioritize it. In much the same way as contracted workers constructing a physical space for a federal or federally funded agency must follow ADA standards for accessibility, so software vendors should be required to design virtual spaces to be accessible. A main objective of this study was to determine a method of increasing the visibility of vendor accessibility documentation for the benefit of our users. It is important that we, as service providers for the public good, act as a bridge between vendors and the patrons we serve.

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Accessibility for Electronic Resources Librarians

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Prioritizing Accessibility in the E-Resources Procurement Lifecycle: VPATs as a Practical Tool for E-Resource Acquisitions and Remediation Workflows at Academic Libraries

Prioritizing Accessibility in the E-Resources Procurement Lifecycle: VPATs as a Practical Tool for E-Resource Acquisitions and Remediation Workflows at Academic Libraries

Defining, evaluating, and achieving accessible library resources

Enhancing Visibility of Vendor Accessibility Documentation

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