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Accessibility Specialist

Authors with Disabilities: Read Harder 2022

Created by the Daniel Boone Regional Library (DBRL) for the Read Harder event, the library compiled a list of recommended books by authors with disabilities. Representation matters, and highlighting books by persons with lived experiences can help provide that representation for persons with disabilities in the library.

Library Accessibility Features

The Library Accessibility Features web page by Lisa Kovak discusses the changed libraries can and should make to conform with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The features discussed on this page include materials, programming, equipment and services, and how to contact the library.

Accessibility Support for Library Members & Staff

The American Library Association encourages members and library staff to create materials that are accessible for both library patrons and co-workers. The accessibility resources they provide cover accessible documents (in Word and PDFs), adding alternative text in different technology platforms, and testing the accessibility of the resources.

Screen Magnification

If you are interested in learning more about screen magnification technologies, this resource is a terrific starting point. The AbilityNet factsheet describes what screen magnification software is and does.

Adaptive Umbrella

The Adaptive Umbrella blog shares information and resources about accessible library programming and services. The blog provides different programming guidelines and ideas for sensory storytimes.

Assistive Technology Products

The American Foundation of the Blind (AFB) provides a list of assistive technologies (also known as access technologies) that persons with print disabilities use to consume content. The products page includes a summary of the different technologies as well as the different types and options for each one.

Virtual Story Time Services Guide

Developed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virtual Story Time Services Guide helps libraries conduct important outreach services that would have otherwise been unavailable. The guidelines for conducting virtual storytime cover the technologies necessary, promotion, copyright, best practices, inclusive policies, ideas, and additional resources.

Summer Short Webinar: Font Attributes

The last webinar in the Summer Short series is about font attributes and how to format your text accessibly in your documents.

Summer Short Webinar: Accessible Lists

The third webinar in the Accessible Libraries Summer Short series discusses creating accessible lists in your documents.

Summer Short Webinar: Accessible Headings

This webinar about creating accessible headings is the first session of the Accessible Libraries Summer Short series focused on short tutorials that teach you how to make accessible documents.

Creating Accessible Documents Webinar Recording

This recording of the Creating Accessible Documents webinar guides you through how to make an accessible Word document, including accessible tables, images, and document structure. The webinar includes demonstrations and examples of how you can start creating accessible documents.

Accessible Social Media Webinar Slides

The Accessible Social Media Webinar slides are available and feature the live demos that were part of the presentation. Topics covered include adding alternative text to images, emojis and hashtags.

Creating Accessible Documents Webinar Slides

The slides for the Creating Accessible Documents webinar are now available. Learn more about how to accessibly format your Word documents by using Styles.

YA Disability Database

YA (Young Adult) Disability Database is a curated booklist of YA novels that feature disability representation. This database compiles book recommendations together that libraries can use to build their collection or as a resource for patrons.

Accessible Social

Accessible Social is a free resource to help guide creating and learning about creating accessible social media. Libraries can use this resource to help make their marketing and communications more accessible for all patrons.

Accessible library programming for kids and teens

The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) provides resources for libraries to create accessible programming for kids and teens. The resources include tips for making your programming inclusive, considerations about the physical spaces of your programming, and examples of accessible programming.