Last semester, I took Web Design for Libraries. I loved this class since it provided an important resource: web design (shocking, huh). All sarcasm, aside, I thought this course was helpful, since it explained CSS, HTML, and WYSIWYG tools. The biggest component of the course, was also designing a website. The instructor let us be very creative and pick different subjects. Some of my peers focused on designing a webpage for their place of employment, others made travel websites or wedding websites, others, like me, chose to focus on an aspect of library science.
Right before that class started, I thought about how easy it was for most of us to get our information. When we want to know something, we just visit a website. Some of us stay in contact with people through MySpace, Facebook, or our own personal blogs. We visit Wikipedia or do a quick Google search when we want to find information. Some people aren’t that lucky. The few weeks before that class started, something else clicked, I came into contact with two individuals that changed the way I thought about library access, so I chose to concentrate on web accessibility for people with disabilities. While they can visit these sites, it isn’t the same traditional way we visit them. So long story, short, I focused my website on web accessibility, as it relates to libraries.
I found out some interesting facts. Most importantly, in relation to dissemination, it is important for libraries to comply with Web Accessibility initiatives under the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) through the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as well as the requirement under Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 which requires “electronic and information technology developed or purchased by federal departments and agencies be accessible to people with disabilities” (Hong, Katerattanakul, & Lee, 2008, p. 27).
Many libraries already do this and many already provide important services to ensure they are reaching all of their patrons. Many libraries provide close captioned videos, sign language interpreters, screen readers at computer terminals, talking books, Braille resources, large print books, assisted listening devices or talking books. All of these tools and resources are important for libraries to provide and should be an essential addition to libraries that haven’t yet incorporated these services.
Citations
Hong, S., Katerattanakul, P., & Lee, D., (2008). Evaluating government website
Accessibility: Software tool vs human experts. Management Research News, 31, 27-40.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Accessibility for web sites is something that is often over looked. There are tools that automatically check/verify the accessibility of a web site, but many html design classes don't even mention these, much less require students to verify their sites using them. You'd be amazed how many commercial sites are completely uninterested in this topic (I used to do web design). It's a very important, but very overlooked topic.
Making sure your website is accessible to everyone requires a little bit of work, probably more than most want to even put forth. There are little things that can be done though to help out and you are right, many commercial sites aren't interested. There are no legal requirements for them or regulations, but it's just a good PR strategy. Oh well....
Post a Comment