New Perspectives in Science Education
Accessibility Evaluation of the Websites of the Regional Libraries in Bulgaria
Radoslav Hristov, State University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT) (Bulgaria)
Tania Todorova, State University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (SULSIT) (Bulgaria)
Abstract
A well-designed and accessible library website is a barometer of the information support it can provide to its users [1]. However, the web content offered by the libraries often does not meet the accessibility requirements of users with various disabilities. This makes it difficult for the most democratic institutions to fulfill their informational, educational, cultural, inclusive, and socializing function in a digital realm [2]. Organizations are increasingly using specialized tools based on applying different accessibility testing standards to evaluate the accessibility of their websites. These tools are easy to use, even by people who are not IT specialists. However, their function is limited to providing the user only with a detailed report based on the set standards, not making the corresponding website accessible [3]. This paper aims to evaluate the accessibility of the homepages of the websites of all 27 regional libraries in Bulgaria using the web-based tool Accessibility Checker. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that they generally do not meet the accessibility standards and requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA), with visually impaired users being the most affected. In addition, it has been summarised that to ensure a website is fully accessible, its elements must be tested manually, as accessibility is related to the human experience.
Keywords: Web accessibility, regional libraries, Accessibility Checker, WCAG, Bulgaria
References:
[1] Ariyana, H., & Singh, B. (2022). Evaluating the Library websites of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs): A study of Website Accessibility. Journal of Indian Library Association, 58(2), 102–111. https://ilaindia.net/jila/index.php/jila/article/viewFile/990/336
[2] Tiurkedzhy, N., Davydova, I., Marina, O., & Marin, S. (2022). Accessibility Analysis of Digital Libraries and Specialized Library Resources. In University Library at a New Stage of Social Communications Development. Conference Proceedings, 7, 218–231. https://doi.org/10.15802/unilib/2022_270121
[3] Panda, S., & Kaur, N. (2022). A Systematic Review of the Literature Concerning the Accessibility of Library Websites. Tarakeshwar (India)/London (UK), BP International. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4275494
