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Library Website Standards

 

Digital Accessibility Guidelines

Max Chambers Library is committed to following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA, to ensure its digital content is ADA compliant. The library's Web Developer is expected to obtain the Digital Accessibility micro-credential offered by the Center for eLearning and Connected Environments (CeCE). These basic criteria should be met on all library webpages (see WCAG for more details):

  • Pages follow logical heading and navigation structure
    • The title of each LibGuide is level 1, so any headings used on a guide page should begin with level 2.
  • Pages are navigable by keyboard-only users
  • Links are descriptive of their destination or purpose
  • Links open in the same window, unless they are on a web form or a page requiring authentication (such as databases and eresources) 
    • Any links that open a new tab must include a description or title text that says "Opens a new tab"
  • Images include alt text
  • Tables include headers
  • Form buttons and inputs have descriptive values
  • Audio and video include captions and/or a transcript

UCO Resources

General Resources

Understandable & Inclusive Language

Wording should be clear and simple to ensure understandability, particularly for neurodiverse users, users who speak English as a second language, and users with reading disorders or cognitive impairments. More information can be found at WebAIM - Writing Clearly and Simply.

When writing about a group of people, tailor the language depending on the goal:

  • Use person-first language to emphasize commonalities between people. (e.g., “People with seeing impairments should have equal access to online information.”)
  • Use identity-first language to emphasize something specific about the community you’re referring to. (e.g., “Accommodations for seeing-impaired people are vital to providing equal access to information.”)

Additional language tips:

  • Avoid jargon when possible. If library-specific jargon is necessary (e.g., interlibrary loan, metadata, course reserve), include a definition or explanation.
  • Avoid idioms that might be confusing for users who do not speak English as their first language
  • Avoid discriminatory and ableist language
  • Use gender neutral language
  • Start with the most relevant information--don't bury the lede
  • Break up large amounts of content with headings and lists to make the information browsable
  • Don't be verbose--efficiency is important for informational web content
  • Use action verbs when giving instructions
  • Ask yourself:
    • Can this content be understood by people with different learning styles?
    • What's the purpose of this information?
    • Why is the user on this page?
    • Is this language effective?

Inclusive Terminology

Phrases & Terms to Avoid Recommended Replacements
"That's insane." "That's unexpected."
"Watch for blind spots." "Watch for knowledge gaps."
"It fell on deaf ears." "It was ignored."
"He's so bipolar." "His mood can be difficult to predict."
"This is my tribe." "These are my friends."
"Sloths are my spirit animal." "I like to laze around like a sloth on the weekends."
mental disability neurodiverse
ladies and gentlemen, men and women everyone, folks
man, woman, guy, gal, gentleman, lady patron, student, person, individual
mother, father, sister, brother parents, siblings, family members

Alternative Text

Images and other non-text content should include alt text to provide access for users with visual impairments. More information can be found at WebAIM - Alternative Text.

  • Alt text should be as succinct as possible--no more than a sentence or two.
  • Avoid language that conveys emotion--let the user decide how they feel about the content.
  • Convey the purpose of the image, rather than just a purely visual description.
    • Context is everything! The same image could have different meanings depending on the context.
    • If the purpose of the image is to share the details of photo or artwork, use the alt text to "paint a picture" with words.
  • Include any text that is conveying information in the image.
  • Do not include redundant information in alt text if the same details are provided in a caption or surrounding text.
  • Do not use phrases such as “image of” or “graphic of” unless the purpose of the photo is to show a portrait, painting, etc.
  • Decorative images that do not convey meaning should include empty alt text (alt="")

Accessibility Tools

Use these tools to assist with creating accessible digital content.

Color Contrast

To meet WCAG AA standards, the contrast ratio for text must be at least 4.5:1. Large text must have a ratio of 3:1. To accommodate for color blindness, information in graphics and charts should never be conveyed by color alone.

Chrome Browser Extensions