Leading Accessibility Initiatives in Open Source Library Software (Poster 49)

With a new emphasis on cognitive needs in addition to physical disabilities, software designers are rethinking what it means to develop accessible software. There is no one way to be completely accessible for all users; different categories of disabilities require different–and sometimes opposing–solutions. Learn how Equinox Open Library Initiative, a non-profit organization providing library technology and consulting services, is developing accessible open source software to support the specific needs of library workers and library patrons. From improving the code to better support a variety of assistive technologies to rethinking UI designs with sensory disorders in mind, Equinox Open Library Initiative is partnering with libraries, consortia, and open source community members to build a more accessible open source library software experience.

This poster will present an overview of software design considerations for vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive accessibility, and present recent accessibility improvements that Equinox has made to the Evergreen integrated library system and VuFind discovery layer.