NASIG 2019

Institutional, state, and federal requirements addressing the accessibility of digital content continue to evolve, thus creating a complex accessibility landscape for libraries as they purchase and create both content and systems. Institutions are faced with a multitude of variables, including adherence to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and more. As libraries grapple with this new landscape, they want to know where they stand amongst their peers, what mandates apply to their situations, and how library staff are training for accessibility requirements, among other issues.

The May 2018 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) SPEC Kit 358, Accessibility and Universal Design, provided an excellent introductory environmental scan of how the largest research libraries in North America are meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities. LYRASIS, a membership organization of more than 1,000 galleries, libraries, archives, and museums of all types and sizes, wanted to expand on this research to gain feedback from the remaining majority of academic libraries serving smaller and mid-sized institutions. LYRASIS is in a unique position to offer a picture of the challenges libraries confront regarding accessibility. The organization’s broad membership base, a deep history of group licensing of digital content, and increasing support for Open Access initiatives all place LYRASIS at the front lines of accessibility concerns.

In the beginning of 2019, LYRASIS will distribute a survey instrument to its members in order to collate these challenges, determine best practices, and outline next steps for libraries struggling to make sense of the accessibility landscape. This presentation will deliver the results of that survey as well as contextualize these results within an overview of recent accessibility reports and initiatives.