How accessible is our collection? Performing an e-resources accessibility review

Abstract

Ensuring that e-resources are accessible to users with disabilities is an area of user experience design that has often gone ignored. While vendors are increasingly taking steps to address this issue, there is a noticeable lack of consistency in approach across vendor platforms. As part of an overall evaluation of its own hosted web content, American University (AU) Library assessed the accessibility of its subscribed third party platforms for databases, e-journals, and e-books. The researcher leading the study created an inventory that itemized AU Library’s e-resource holdings and documented the efforts being made by vendors to make their products accessible. This article will describe the methods and resources used to compile the accessibility inventory, as well as address the subsequent efforts made to partner with other units on campus and further engage with vendors.