ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2019

The purpose of this pop-up session is to assess the state of accessibility in archives and special collections from two angles. Lisa Sisco will discuss preservation and access to materials created by or for people with vision disabilities: due to the physical complexities of the materials (e.g. Braille, tactile maps, etc.), they provide unique preservation and conservation challenges, and this contributes to acquisition decisions and opinions surrounding the preservation of these tactile formats.  Hannah Rosen will summarize the results of a 2019 LYRASIS survey which asked respondents to discuss their policies for making online materials accessible for those with disabilities. By looking at these two symbiotic areas, the presenters will highlight efforts already underway to augment access and preservation.

The audience for this session will be any archivists or other information professionals interested in learning more about how to help both researchers with disabilities access online collections, as well as how to preserve content created by those with disabilities. The target audience would also include anyone interested in learning more about the state of accessibility within the profession.

This session addresses inclusivity for people with disabilities by looking at the status of accessibility in archives and special collections from two angles. By exploring the preservation of materials created by or for people with vision disabilities, we are looking at the hurdles memory institutions face in providing long term access to records of historically marginalized groups. By looking at accessibility policies for online materials through the results of a LYRASIS survey, we are observing how American institutions are extending access to more researchers.