[Web4lib] Accessibility of e-book platforms

[Pam Sessoms]

Hi folks,

There was a good recent thread about e-book accessibility and legal
implications that kicked off with a discussion about the Kindle.

However, I was wondering if folks could fill me in regarding the
following two specific points:

1) Is your library subscribing to an e-book platform that you are
pleased with, regarding its accessibility to screen readers?

2) If your e-book platform is not fully accessibilty to screen
readers, have you established any policies/procedures that allow you
to work around this, in terms of providing these texts to screen
reader users?  (i.e., negotiating with the rights holder for an
alternate text file version for these specific users, purchasing
alternate versions when needed, copying/pasting the text to provide to
the user, etc...?)

In this case, "accessible to screen readers" means that the text of
the book can be located within the product's interface and read fully
by someone who is only relying solely on the screen reader, such as
Jaws, with no visual input or assistance from a sighted person.

I can summarize for the list if there is interest.

Thanks in advance, and best wishes,

-Pam.

-- 
Pam Sessoms, interim head, Undergraduate Library
phone 919/962-1355;  AIM:  SessomsPam
UNC-Chapel Hill, CB 3922
Chapel Hill, NC  27514-3922