This post is part of a series authored by DLF’s working group leaders to acquaint you with their work, and how you can get involved, leading up to the 2023 DLF Forum.
Though the annual Forum is DLF’s signature event, our working groups collaborate year round. DLF’s working groups organize across institutional and geographical boundaries to collaborate and get stuff done. Working group participation is open to anyone interested in getting involved, regardless of whether or not you work or study at a DLF member organization.
Attending the 2023 DLF Forum and interested in the topic of accessibility? Don’t miss sessions M08 (Empowering Library Services: Transformation, Experimentation, and Accessibility Initiatives) and M18 (Advancing Accessibility and Ethical Change in Digital Collections).
This group currently meets on the 1st Wednesdays of the month at 11am PT / 12pm MT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET. For more information on the group, to be added to its listserv, or to be redirected to subgroup chairs, please email jasmine.l.clark@temple.edu.
The DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group (DAWG) exists to explore issues related to ensuring that the digital resources within information organizations meet the needs of disabled users and staff. This includes:
- Surveying digital accessibility in GLAM organizations
- Facilitating information sharing and networking
- Producing and collecting resources and best practices for executing accessibility work
The group consists of three ongoing subgroups that focus on broad themes in accessibility practice in information organizations, as well as more area/technology specific subgroups:
Policy and Workflows
The Policy and Workflows subgroup will focus on specific functional areas within information organizations. This group will do research and produce deliverables related to best practices for employment, purchasing, production, leadership, and oversight within these organizational areas. This subgroup is in the process of publishing guidelines for developing accessibility policies. Co-chair Wendy Robertson is the liaison to Policy and Workflows.
IT and Development
The IT and Development subgroup will focus on specific software, hardware, and development practices associated with information organizations. Once a list of technologies associated with specific areas is compiled, they will begin addressing the accessibility concerns of specific entries. This subgroup audits technologies commonly used in GLAM organizations. For a list of audited technologies, members, and other resources created by this subgroup, see their wiki page: https://wiki.diglib.org/IT_and_Development. Co-chair Katherine Deibel is the liaison to IT and Development.
Advocacy and Continuing Education
The Advocacy and Continuing Education subgroup will focus on providing resources, tools, and skills necessary for librarians, archivists, records managers, and other GLAM professionals to advocate for, as well as support accessibility within their organizations. Co-Chair Jasmine Clark is the liaison to this group. This group will share information pertaining to:
- Guidelines for web accessibility, such as WCAG 2.x
- Responding to existing and emerging barriers faced by disabled persons
- Advocacy and Outreach work
- Forum Preparation
- Ethical Use of open source products, including assistive technologies
- Other areas as determined by the group
This subgroup has organized an array of programming on accessibility topics. For a list of previous programming offered, see their wiki page: https://wiki.diglib.org/Advocacy_and_Continuing_Education
