aserl-accessibilityig Mailing List: Three steps to make your library more accessible

[Beth Ashmore (beashmor]

View this post on the ASERL Blog
<https://www.aserl.org/2023/05/three-steps-to-make-your-library-more-accessible/>In
honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day <https://accessibility.day/> on
May 18th, the ASERL Accessibility Interest Group would like to share 3
steps you can take to make your library more accessible.Step 1: Get
acquainted!

If your library has users, you have users with disabilities! Two-thirds of
students with disabilities never inform their college or university to
receive assistance. Get to know your community and understand what barriers
your services, resources, and physical spaces might pose to them.
Resources:

Disability Impacts All of Us(opens in new window)
<https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html>,
CDC

A Majority of College Students with Disabilities Do Not Inform School(opens
in new window) <https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/4_26_2022.asp>,
NCES
<https://www.aserl.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Copy-of-1-1.png>Step 2:
Evaluate!

Take a look at your spaces, resources, and services to see where you can
make improvements that would benefit all your users. Not sure where to
begin? Reach out to your peer institutions, library associations, consortia,
and disability advocates in your community for help.
Resources:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Checklist(opens in new
window)
<https://projectenable.syr.edu/data/ADA_Accessibility_Checklist4.pdf>

How to Meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(opens in new window)
<https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/?versions=2.0>
Step 3: Educate & advocate!

You don’t have to figure out how to make a difference all alone. Join with
the wider accessibility and library communities to educate yourself on best
practices to make your services, resources, and spaces accessible. Share
what you learn with others. Accessibility is a team sport!
Resources:

Project Enable(opens in new window) <https://projectenable.syr.edu/>

Library Accessibility Alliance(opens in new window)
<https://www.libraryaccessibility.org/>
Ready to do something?

Take advantage of Global Accessibility Awareness Day
<https://accessibility.day/> and join in-person and virtual events with the
worldwide accessibility community to learn more and make our world a little
more accessible today and every day.
Here are additional resources to get you started:

Accessible to All – Resources to Learn More About Disabilities (UTK)
<https://volumes.lib.utk.edu/news/accessible-to-all-resources-to-learn-more-about-disabilities/>

NC LIVE Accessibility Webinars <https://www.youtube.com/user/nclivetv>

Library Accessibility Alliance Webinars <https://libraryaccessibility.org/>

ASERL Accessibility Interest Group Webpage
<https://www.aserl.org/programs/accessibility/>

Feel free to share this information
<https://www.canva.com/design/DAFh42Jp9vs/RsGYyLq49AsOTDY0IU47Dw/view#1> on
your library social media in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on
May 18, 2023.

- The ASERL Accessibility Interest Group


-- 
Beth Ashmore
Associate Head, Acquisitions and Discovery (Serials)
North Carolina State University Libraries
beashmor [at] ncsu.edu
919-513-3354
(Pronouns: she, her, hers)



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