Accessibility of electronic library resources:

1. Accessibility of electronic library resources: Do librarians consider the needs of people with print disabilities when selecting digital materials? Presented at the 2013 Accessing Higher Grounds Conference Westminster, CO, November 6 by Axel Schmetzke Reference & Instruction LibrarianU. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point aschmetz@uwsp.edu (715) 346-4658

2. Overview • Introduction • Empirical Research overview • CD policy and practice • CD literature analysis • Summary & proposed best practices

3. I. Introduction • Meanings of access/accessibility in the library world • Types of e-resources in libraries • Typical selection process • Accessibility standards pertaining to libraries

4. Meanings of Access\Accessibility in the library world • connectivity • global information infrastructure • off-campus access • easy authentication • availability on the web • free access • bibliographic access • barrier-free access to information for all people, including those with disabilities

5. Universal Design=Accessible Design=Barrier-free Design Design that is sensitive to the variation among people and thus does not cause certain groups to be  systematically excluded.

6. Type of e-resources in the library • web pages • online catalogs • indexes & full-text databases • federated searching (MetaLib etc.) • resource discovery tools (ExLibris Primo etc.) • electronic reference works • e-books • e-journals • electronic reserve/pdf-formatted documents* • electronic help/reference desk • online tutorials & library guides • courseware (D2L etc.) • online survey tools (Survey Monkey etc.)

7. Typical selection process • For larger purchases (databases and e-book packages) typically a collaborative process • Committee of librarians chaired by Collection Development (CD) Coordinator • All librarians • Some librarians • CD librarian as representative on larger consortial CD committee • Most libraries have a written CD policy • Individual e-book purchases are initiated by individual librarians or by individual professors outside the library

8. Online accessibility policies pertaining to libraries • Section 508* • American with Disabilities Act (ADA)* • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • State of Wisconsin--Enterprise Standards for Information Technology • American Library Association (ALA) guidelines • Campus policies • Library policies, particularly Collection Development (CD) policies

9. Web Accessibility Policies on UW campuses (4/2008)

10. II. Research on Accessibility

11. Type of e-resources to be studied • web pages* • online catalogs* • indexes & full-text databases* • federated searching (MetaLib etc.)* • resource discovery tools (ExLibris Primo etc) • electronic reference works • e-books • e-journals* • electronic reserve/pdf-formatted documents* • electronic help/reference desk • online tutorials & library guides • courseware (D2L etc.)* • online survey tools (Survey Monkey etc.)*

12. My sabbatical project

15. Library CD Policies and Practices • Do selection criteria include accessibility for PwDs? • If not, • was accessibility ever considered when selecting e-resources? • was its inclusion in CD policy ever discussed? • is it likely to be included at the next policy revision? • If yes, • Which circumstances led to the incorporation of accessibility into CD policy? • How is accessibility determined? • How much feedback do vendors receive?

16. Two samples Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Members • 24 out of 27 included in survey • 1,600-6,500 FTE UWSP comprehensives • 10 out of 11 participated • 5,000-10,800 FTE

17. Methodology • CD Policy analysis • Phone survey

18. Type of policy

19. CD policies and accessibility component?

20. E-resource selection and accessibility?

21. Instances when accessibility was considered despite policy (WI) • When considering Proquest’s Press Display database; some push from a students with disabilities group. • When comparing ebrary and Ebsco’s ebooks. • When considering e-book platforms; liked ebrary’s e-reader option.

22. When the addition of an accessibility component to the CD policy was discussed in the past, why was it not included? COPLAC (2) • Will be added in next revision. (x2) WI (3) • Oversight, related to the primarily print-focused nature of the CD policy. • Colleague with visual impairment retired; issue now less talked about. • Discussion with Disability Coordinator; focus shifted to relocating assistive technology to a less isolated area in the Library.

23. Questions CD policies addressing accessibility

24. Which circumstances led to the incorporation of accessibility into CD policy at Sonoma State University (1) • OCR Compliance Review at California Community Colleges, 1996-98 • Issue:  Access to print and computer-based information for students with visual impairments • Findings/Ruling (1998): • Web-pages are typically not designed accessibly. • Concept of accessibility should be firmly integrated into the development of distance education programs and services, including campus web pages.

25. Which circumstances led to the incorporation of accessibility into CD policy at Sonoma State University (2) • The California State University Board of Trustees Policy on Disability Support and Accommodations - Executive Order Number 926(2004): Information Resources and Technologies Information Resources and Technologies refer to all programs and services provided to students, faculty, staff, and the general public through computer or electronic media. This includes, but is not limited to computer and network access and services, computer-delivered or enhanced instruction, library electronic information resources, library online catalogs and homepages, campus informational web sites, computer-delivered or assisted administrative services, and voice and video programs and services. It is the policy of the CSU to make information technology resources and services accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless of disability. • SSU accessible technology initiative  http://www.sonoma.edu/accessibility/ • CSU accessible technology initiative  http://www.calstate.edu/accessibility/ • CSU signed memorandum guiding ATI implementation  http://www.calstate.edu/AcadAff/codedmemos/AA-2013-03.html

26. Which circumstances led to the incorporation of accessibility into CD policy at Sonoma State University (3) The CSU's Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) --Jan 2013 Its implementation is driven by the following principles: • Technology accessibility is an institution-wide responsibility that requires commitment and involvement from leadership across the enterprise. • Technology access for individuals with disabilities must provide comparable functionality, affordability, and timeliness and should be delivered in as seamless a manner as possible. • The implementation of Universal Design principles should reduce the need for, and costs associated with, individual accommodations for inaccessible technology products.

27. Which circumstances led to the incorporation of accessibility into CD policy at four UW comprehensives? • Inspired by 2002 CDC/UW System Libraries Guidelines for a Shared Electronic Collection, which states that “evidence of progress by vendors to meet the accessibility needs of those with disabilities” is to be considered. • CD librarian served on committee in which the needs of students with print disabilities were discussed. • Librarian with research interest in this area. • Campus had adopted an Online Accessibility Policy. • Campus has Disabilities Services & Vocational Rehabilitation Institiutehigh sensitivity to disability-related issues and increased visibility of PwDs on campus. • Campus has a strong mission to serve students with disabilities.

28. Required vs. Desired

29. Is accessibility always discussed?

30. Reasons for not discussing accessibility • assumes that others will look into it • takes accessibility for granted • typically not perceived to be a problem

31. Source for accessibility information

32. Terminology used when asking vendors about accessibility

33. Was it ever the case that an e-resource was not selected, or deselected, because it was inaccessible?

34. Do you provide vendors with specific reasons why their product was selected, or not selected?

36. ALA Guidelines (1) • Assn. for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) • Collection Management Section • Chief Collection Development Officers of Large Research Libraries (CCDO) Interest Group

37. The CCDO Interest Group meeting included presentations and discussion topics. Please see topic list below. Thirty-two members were present; approximately thirty nonmembers also attended. Topics included: • University accessibility policies: E-resources and compliance with federal law • E-books and cooperative collection development • The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine: to link or copy/harvest? • arXiv update • Financial support models for open access initiatives • The uncertain world of videos: preservation issues and collection development for research libraries • Distance education, massive open online courses, content, and online course support: the role of the library? ALCTS Newsletter Online (Dec. 2012)

38. ALA Guidelines (2) • Assn. for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) • Collection Management Section • Chief Collection Development Officers of Large Research Libraries (CCDO) Interest Group • ALA Council

39. Purchasing of Accessible Electronic Resources ResolutionALA Council Document #52 (Revised 7.14.09) “That the American Library Association (ALA) strongly recommends: 1. That all libraries purchasing, procuring, using, maintaining and contracting for electronic resources and services require vendors to guarantee that products and services comply with Section 508 regulations, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, or other applicable accessibility standards and guidelines; and 2. That all libraries purchasing, procuring, and contracting for electronic resources and services ensure, through their own testing protocols or by requiring vendor guarantees, that electronic products and services have been fully tested and found to be in compliance with applicable accessibility regulations, guidelines, and criteria; and 3. That funding authorities, including private institutions, the federal government and state and local governments, provide adequate funding to allow all libraries purchasing, procuring, and contracting for electronic resources and services the ability to comply with accepted standards and laws of accessibility for people with disabilities.”

40. ALA Guidelines (3) • Assn. for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) • Collection Management Section • Chief Collection Development Officers of Large Research Libraries (CCDO) Interest Group • ALA Council • Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) • Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) • Materials Reviewing Committee

41. Elements for Basic Reviews: A Guide for Writers and Readers of Reviews of Works in All Mediums and Genres Developed April 2005 by the ALA/RUSA CODES Materials Reviewing Committee 4. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES 4.1.3. Functionality. Evaluation of how well the technology of the product or site works. • Testing. Ideally, products should be tested on multiple computers with different connection speeds, computer memory, operating systems, or browsers. • Indicate whether the actual product or a sample database is being tested. • Indicate whether a full release or a beta version is being tested. • Evaluate ease of navigation. • Evaluate load times and speed of product. • Indicate easy or advanced modes. Intuitive for the novice; more sophisticated features for the expert. • Indicate the ability to print, save, or email data. • If the resource includes multimedia elements (e.g., audio or video), are special equipment or helper applications needed?

43. Collection Development Literature Analysis

44. Research Questions • Is accessibility of e-resources, as it applies to PwD, on the radar screen? • If so, is it • consistently covered where appropriate? • covered in any depth? • Is “ADA compliance” explained? • Will selectors learn what specific questions to ask? • Is there any detectable trend?

45. Books on Collection Development

46. CD general (examples) • Peggy Johnson, Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management (2nd ed.)—ALA 2009 • Evans & Saponaro, Collections Development Basics (6th ed.) 2012 • Mack (ed.), Collection Development Policies. New Directions for Changing Collections (copubl. in "The Acquisitions Librarian") 2003 • Clement & Foy, Collection Development in a Changing Environment. Policies and Organization for College and University Libraries. CLIP Note #42 (ALA/ACRL) 2010

47. CD e-resources (examples) • Kovacs, The Kovacs Guide to Electronic Library Collection Development (2nd ed.) 2009 • Lee (ed.), Collection Management and Strategic access to Digital Resources. The New Challenge for Research Libraries (copubl. in J. of Library Administration) 2005 • Brumley, Electronic Collection Management Forms, Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines Manual. 2009 • Bleiler & Livingston, Evaluating E-resources (SPEC Kit 316, ARL) 2010

48. Books on Collection Development

49. Accessibility coverage by year

50. Language used • Compliant with text-to-speech software or other enabling technology (Kovac 2000) • "flexibitity of the software to accommodate users with disabilities," ADA compliance. (Yu & Breivold, 2008) • Conformance to accepted standards for disabled access (Stuart Lee, 2002) • "disability compliance (e.g. ADA)” (Bleiler & Livingston, 2010) • “ADA-friendly” (Wikoff, 2012)