[WEB4LIB] PDF versus HTML

[Patricia F Anderson]

Like so many others, I also recommend using *both* formats. The idea would
be to serve different audiences. One concern I have not yet seen mentioned
is access for persons with disabilities. Most countries now have some sort
of legislation encouraging or requiring public services to make their
information and electronic resources accessible for all persons,
irrespective of their physical or sensory abilities, or economic level (if
they are using an old computer). If they can use a computer, they should
be able to access the same information as anyone else.

Department of the Taoiseach:  Web Publication, Report of the
Interdepartmental Group - Recommended Guidelines for Public Sector
Organisations, 15 November 1999:
<http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=359&docID=259&COMMAND=PRINTER>

Irish National Disability Authority (NDA) [Ireland]: IT Accessibility
Guidelines: <http://accessIT.nda.ie/>

Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) [United Kingdom,
2001]:  <http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/20010010.htm>

There is still debate about whether or not PDF counts as an accessible
format.

AccessIT (National Center on Accessible Information Technology in
Education): Is PDF accessible?:
<http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?2>

Web Usability:  PDF and Accessibility;
Roger Hudson, August 2004:
<http://www.usability.com.au/resources/pdf.cfm>

PlanetPDF: Learning Centers: Accessible PDFs:
<http://www.planetpdf.com/learningcenter.asp?ContainerID=1505&rhs>

Since HTML is considered an accessible standard recognized by the W3C, the
international web standards granting organization, and PDF is not yet, and
there are legal guidelines and standards for your country asking public
sector organizations to meet the W3C standards as a minimum, then I would
say your arguments in support of offering HTML format documents are
strong.

Best wishes,

Patricia Anderson, pfa at umich.edu

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005, John Fitzgibbon wrote:

> Hi,
>
> We have a number of print documents which we wish to make available on
> the web. My boss is very keen on saving these documents as PDF files and
> making them available on the web in this format.
>
> I think it would be better to convert the documents to HTML but am
> finding it difficult to marshal my arguments. Many newspapers eschew PDF
> in favor of HTML; they must have their reasons. Newspapers are
> essentially a print medium and it would seem that PDF is tailor made for
> putting print media on the web.
>
> When should PDF be used and when should HTML be used?
>
> Regards
> John
>
> John Fitzgibbon
>
> Galway Public Library
> Island House
> Cathedral Square
> Galway
> Ireland
>
> p: 00 353 91 562471
> f: 00 353 91 565039
> w: http://www.galwaylibrary.ie