Study of Library Staff Perceptions of Accessibility Requirements

In July 2023, the UX Team was asked by the Library Accessibility Task Force (LATF) to investigate library employees' experiences with digital accessibility. LATF was a limited term group tasked with building organizational capacity for creating digital content. 

Research Questions

• With LATF winding down, how has the work of the group influenced library staff awareness, understanding, behaviour, and attitude toward accessibility?

• Do library staff understand why digital accessibility is a library priority?

• Do they have any concerns or reservations about this work?

• How confident are they in their own a11y knowledge and skills?

Methods

• We interviewed 13 library staff from all of the library strategic teams
• We reviewed relevant accessibility documents

What did we learn?

• Library staff are very aware that accessibility matters to the library   
• The level of insight into how accessibility requirements pertain to the staff’s own work varies
• Staff are working hard to incorporate accessibility requirements into their workflows and are committed to accessibility as a personal and organizational value
• There is a desire for more clarity about who is driving the accessibility agenda

Recommendations

• Continue to provide accessibility training sessions, resources and checklists
• Incorporate accessibility training into onboarding new hires
• Clarify the role of LATF and its members and how staff can best engage  
• LATF should devote time with each team to get to know their work and needs for accessibility support 
• Staff want a more comprehensive picture of how staff contribute to accessibility across the library
• Staff are looking for vision and direction from senior leaders, as well as more clarity about who’s in charge of accessibility strategy and direction