Digital Libraries and Web Design Craven, J. & Brophy, P. (2003). Non-visual Access to the Digital Library: The Use of Digital Library Interfaces by Blind and Visually Impaired People. Library and Information Commission Research Re­ port 1 45, Manchester: Centre for Research in Library and Information Management. Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from http://www.cerl im .ac.uk/projects/nova/index.php The report states that "Our domain in this project is digital l ibrary services, and our concern is that al l such services should, in their entirety, be as accessible to blind and visually impaired people as to anyone else. The rapid development of networked information and communications technologies provides opportuni­ ties for radical changes in the services which can be delivered to al l information users, including those who need to use 'accessible' formats and systems in order to overcome visual or other disability. During experiments carried out as part of the REVIEL project in which blind people accessed a variety of online resources, it became apparent that navigation is a major problem within digital library systems." Freed, G . , Rothberg, M. & Wlodkowski, T. (2003, January). The Access to PIVoT Project. Retrieved from The CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media WGBH Educational Foundation website on April 6, 2005, from: http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guidel ine/ . These guidel ines update Making Educational Software Accessible (2000). "As in the original document, readers are given : a basic understanding of the needs of users with different disabilities, a summary of various approaches to serve users with different disabilities, specific solutions for designing more acces­ sible software, guidelines with specific checkpoints and detailed techniques for implementation." Addi­ tionally, the following can be found: "extensive information on making multimedia presentations accessi­ ble to deaf or bl ind students, examples of writing image descriptions for blind students, solutions for mak­ ing forms and data tables accessible, information on making electronic and on-l ine textbooks accessible." Although primari ly geared to the education of students with disabilities, these guidelines provide an array of information on tools and software that is relevant to l ibrarians. Hambl in , Y. (2004, November). LibPortal Project: Case Sstudies of Porta/ Implementation in Higher Education Libraries - A Report to the Joint Information Systems Committee. Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from http://www.jisc.ac.uk!uploaded_documents/ Lib Portal Case Studies i n HE .pdf This report completes the work of the LibPortal Project which has reviewed the development of library oriented portals in higher and further education . The Joint Information and Systems Committee (JISC) commissioned a series of case studies as part of this work reported here . The case studies cover three portal suppliers and five English university libraries.The case studies are intended to assist l ibraries in the decision making process of how to manage their electronic resources, and whether or not a portal meets the requirements of the library. Some refer to issues associated with accessibility. Mates, B.T. (2000). Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Making Eelectronic Resources Accessi­ ble to All. Chicago: American Library Association. Available from: http://www.ala.org/ala/products/books/ editions/ adaptivetechnology.htm The aim of this monograph is "to guide information providers in establishing accessible websites and ac­ quiring the hardware and software needed by people with disabilities." Examples of hardware and soft- Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 29 ware technologies for l ibraries are described, including screen readers, Brai l le screens, voice recognition systems, hearing assistance devices, and HTML coding for web pages. A l isting of Library websites that are accessible to those using adaptive technologies is provided. Schmetzke, A. (2005, March 21) Web Accessibility Survey Site. Retrieved on March 24, 2005, from http:// l ibrary.uwsp.edu/aschmetz/Accessible/websurveys.htm Originally created to document survey type research on web page accessibi l ity in higher education, this site has recently expanded its scope to include "investigations into the accessibi l ity of all web-based re­ sources found in the educational environment, including online l ibrary databases and courseware." Schmetzke, A. (2001 ) . Online Distance Education · "Anytime, Anywhere" but Not for Everyone. In­ formation Technology and Disabilities. 7(2). Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from: http://www . rit.edu/ -easi/ itd/itdv07n2/contents. htm This article looks at the accessibil ity of top-level distance-education web pages and provides some an­ swers to the question "why are the web sites of d istance-education providers so inaccessible?" Suggests that lack of awareness among the leadership is partially responsible for the many access barriers found at the majority of web sites of d istance-education providers. World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). (1 999). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. Retrieved on March 23, 2005, from http://www .w3 .org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/ These gu idelines were prepared by the web Accessibi l i ty Initiative (WAI) , a sub-committee of the World Wide web Consortium. WAI is the internationally recognized leader in establishing accessibi l ity gu idelines for web page authoring. Library Services Agada, J . & Dauenheimer.D . Beyond ADA:� crossing Borders to Understand the Psychosocial Needs of Students with Disabilities. (2001 ) . Paper presented at the ACRL Tenth National Conference (March 1 5-18 , 2001 , Denver, Colorado). Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from: http://ala.org/ala/acrllacrlevents/ dauenheimer.pdf This paper asserts "the expectations, hopes and visions embodied in d isabil ity rights legislation such as the [Americans with Disabil ities Act] go beyond compliance with legal statutes. To embrace the spirit of the law, we recommend that academic l ibrary staff cross borders to better understand the psychosocial needs of students with disabil ities. Scenarios i l lustrating some non-physical barriers that frustrate informa­ tion seeking and learning for students with disabil ities in academic l ibraries are described . The paper concludes with recommendations for creating more socially inclusive l ibrary service environments." Coonin, B. (2001 , Fal l) . Enabl ing Scientists: Serving Sci-tech Library Users with Disabi l ities. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship. Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from http://www . l ibrary.ucsb.edu/ istl/01 -fal l/article1 .html · Coonin states: "service to l ibrary users with disabil ities has been the subject of numerous books, articles, and presentations, but it is useful to consider this issue specifically in the context of science l ibraries for several reasons. In the United States we acknowledge an established need for scientists, but have long overlooked the pool of scientific interest and talent among individuals with disabil it ies. Sci-tech l ibrarians can play a significant role in the encouragement of scientific talent among l ibrary users with disabil ities by making the l ibrary environment accessible and ensuring as much as possible the independent access to information that is so critical to scientific endeavor. Some of the specific ways l ibrarians in sci-tech l ibrar­ ies can contribute to an accessible electronic l ibrary environment include developing basic famil iarity with relevant assistive technologies, creating accessible web pages, monitoring accessibil ity of electronic da­ tabases purchased for the l ibrary, and by preparing accessible bibliographic instructional activities." Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 30 McKnight, S . (2002, January). Forum on Library Services for People with a Disability. Academic Li­ braries (CAUL) Background Paper. Retrieved on Apri l 1 , 2005, from: http://www .deakin .edu.au/l ibrary/ staff/ ForumLibSerDis.htm McKnight discusses a variety of issues that confront academic l ibrary services for those with disabil ities and offers some brief recommendations. Scott, W. ( 1 996). The Accessible Canadian Library II. Retrieved from the National Library of Canada on April 1 , 2005, from: http://www.col lectionscanada.ca/9/1 O/p1 0-1 000-e .html This comprehensive guide ( 1 04 pages) provides gu idelines and various service and facil ity specifications required to meet the needs of l ibrary users with disabil ities. It also provides a resource list and an exten­ sive bibliography for further information . Described as a workbook, it is "designed to help Canadian l ibrary staff evaluate how they are currently serving thei r cl ients with disabi l ities, and what they can improve. " Policies and Position Papers American Library Association. Association of Special ized and Cooperative Library Agencies. (2005, Feb­ ruary 1 1 ). Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy. Retrieved on March 23, 2005, from http://www .a la.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices.htm This policy, drafted by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), was approved by the American Library Association Council in 2001 . I t affirms ALA's commitment to the issue of accessibi l ity, and encourages the use of "strateg ies based upon the principles of universal design to ensure that l ibrary policy, resources and services meet the needs of all people." Canadian Library Association. ( 1 997, February). Canadian Guidelines on Library and Information Ser­ vices for People with Disabilities. Position Statement approved by Executive Counci l . Retrieved on April 1 , 2005, from: http://www.cla.ca/about/disabi ls.htm The result of four years of work by a CLA Task Force, this pol icy provides l ibrary guidelines for serving persons with d isabil ities. The gu idelines address planning, budgeting, marketing and promotion, human resources, publ ic services, collections management, adaptive technology and a number of other areas. Links to Sites Equal Access to Software and Information (EASt) . (n.d.) . Archives of AXSLIB L@MAELSTROM.ST. JOHNS.EDU. Retrieved on March 24, 2005, from http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/axsl ib-l .html AXSLIB-L is an e-mail discussion group ded icated to accessibil ity issues in l ibraries, particu larly how to accommodate patrons with d isabilities. The group's archives are searchable from January 1 999 onwards. Schmetzke, A. (2005, March 21 ). Accessible Webpage Design: Resources. Retrieved on March 24, 2005, from http://l ibrary.uwsp.edu/aschmetz/Accessible/pub_resources .htm This site was "created to promote awareness about the need for accessible web design and to steer those who wish to learn more about the topic into the right d i rection." It provides comprehensive listings of organizations, web design standards, accessibil ity gu idelines and design tips. It l ists assistive technology hardware and software tools currently used in l ibraries, with l inks to vendor sites. A timely bibl iography on accessibil ity issues in universities and university l ibraries is also featured. Authors' Note: Text that is enclosed within quotations marks has been taken di rectly from the document. Chris Bober is the Education Librarian at Concordia Un iversity Libraries. Emai l : boberc@alcor.concordia .ca Anne Wade is Manager of the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance and has taught in the Information Studies Program at Concordia University for ten years. Emai l : wada@education.concordia.ca Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 31