Background information:
Libraries value products that do not disadvantage users with disabilities. When accessibility issues are discovered, libraries also value prompt attention and correction. Likewise, libraries value products that provide innovative features to improve experiences for users with disabilities and want to shared them more effectively across the community. To advance accessibility in library products, a customer-base can collaborate and speak with a unified voice to help align Ex Libris’ products with these library values. Accessibility transcends individual products and content. Individual product working groups would benefit from the support of a community of practice to deal with the intricacies of the legal and civil requirements for accessibility that impact many of our libraries.
Terms of Reference:
- Accessibility Community of Practice members meet on a quarterly basis to discuss and create action items related to accessibility features, bugs, defects, and difficulties across Ex Libris products.
- Provide and gather feedback on accessibility problems discovered by Ex Libris customers and library patrons in direct meetings and related communications with Ex Libris. The Community of Practice can support and amplify the voices of those identifying and reporting accessibility bugs and issues.
- Provide and gather feedback on ways to improve and advocate for functional accessibility usability over technical accessibility (i.e. WCAG, in the narrow sense) in direct meetings and related communications with Ex Libris. In accord with the resolution agreement between the University of Montana and US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, “‘Accessible’ means that individuals with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same timeframe as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use.”
New Members:
If you are interested in joining this brand-new community of practice, we are excited to have you! The best way to engage with this group is via our listserv: [email protected].
Information on subscribing to the discussion list:
https://exlibrisusers.org/postorius/lists/eluna-accessibility.exlibrisusers.org/
Co-coordinators:
- Pascal Calarco, University of Windsor (Canada)
- Zachary Grant, Clark College (USA)
ELUNA Steering Committee Liaison:
- Holli Kubly, Old Dominion University (USA)