IIIF Viewer UX and Accessibility
The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN-RCDR) has provided practical recommendations for enhancing usability and accessibility in International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) document viewers. These recommendations are based on a study that captured detailed feedback from an accessibility user panel, consisting of individuals with a range of disabilities, as well as a panel of existing Canadiana users, on their ability to perform key tasks in the Mirador Viewer. The results of this study are being integrated into the Mirador development process in conjunction with the Digital Library Technology Services (DLTS) at New York University (OCLC Symbol: ZUY), resulting in improved accessibility features for future Mirador releases.
As part of my contributions to the NISO Accessibility Remediation Metadata working group, I had the great fortune to speak with Brittany Lapierre and the team at CRKN who worked on this study. Among other functions, campus disability service organizations provide remediated versions of primary source materials for blind or low-vision students and researchers. Incorporating good accessibility features into infrastructures used to manage digital collections increases their reach and impact, and promotes equal opportunities for academic success and research advancement. Contributed by Richard Urban.
Impact of student experience and belonging on postsecondary outcomes
A new report for August 2024, How Student Experience and Belonging Interventions Can Support Strong Postsecondary Outcomes, underscores the crucial role of student experience and a sense of belonging in achieving postsecondary success. It demonstrates how daily interactions and a supportive community influence student persistence and completion rates. Evidence shows that interventions such as promoting growth mindset teaching, simplifying bureaucratic processes, and improving communications can significantly boost academic performance, retention, and mental health. By creating environments where all students, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds, feel connected and valued, these strategies aim to enhance educational outcomes and workforce readiness.
Libraries are uniquely positioned to support this work both on their campuses and within the broader community. My colleague Brooke Doyle and I have explored this topic in a WebJunction webinar titled Libraries Foster Social Connection: Responding to the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. We have learned that young adults are particularly affected by the factors influencing their experiences and we continue to seek ways for libraries to be more intentional in promoting belonging. By curating diverse collections that represent all student experiences and perspectives, hosting inclusive events and workshops, and providing a safe and welcoming environment for study and collaboration, campus libraries can play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging. Contributed by Jennifer Peterson.
Public opinion on book restrictions in schools
Recognizing a lack of research about public attitudes and awareness regarding the large increases in book challenges in United States public schools in recent years, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation surveyed over 4500 adults in February and March 2024 to gauge how people feel about restricting public school students’ access to books. The Knight Foundation, which supports “a more effective democracy by funding free expression and journalism, arts and culture in community, research in areas of media and democracy, and the success of American cities and towns,” has just released the freely available study, Americans’ Views on Book Restrictions in U.S. Public Schools, in its Free Expression Research Series. Generally, Americans feel that they are aware of efforts to restrict books but are not actively engaged in the issue. Nearly two-thirds oppose efforts to restrict books in public schools and more than three-fourths have confidence that their public schools make appropriate selections. Large majorities of the respondents believe that public school teachers (65%) and public school librarians (64%) need to be the decision makers about book availability, in contrast to state governments (22%) and “community members who are not parents of public school students in your school district” (21%).
It is interesting to note that the trust in public school librarians (53%) rates slightly higher than that of public school teachers (50%) when it comes to determining the age appropriateness of books. The report concludes that, “At their base, results show that the public broadly opposes book restrictions in the schools, expresses confidence in the schools to select appropriate books and sees a bigger risk in depriving students of access to books with educational value than in giving them access to books that are inappropriate. Fears about a chilling effect in book selection are substantial.” But the study also emphasizes the complexity of the issues. For instance, conservative Americans believe that their views are underrepresented in school materials. Despite how important parents believe the issues to be, only 7% report their children have encountered troublesome material in schoolbooks. Contributed by Jay Weitz.
Reviewing archival descriptions as part of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan
The final report of the Revising Archival Descriptions Project to examine archival descriptions for biased and offensive language was issued in 2024 March. The project was funded by the Welsh government’s Anti-racist Wales Action Plan, which aims to eliminate racism in Wales by 2030. The project adopted methodology from the University of Leeds Archive Testbed project, using AntConc software to review XML format files for hits from the Brotherton Full list, which contains 1093 terms. The terms searched were all English-language; the report recommended that a Welsh terms list also be developed.
I was interested in this report because (unlike many reparative description projects) it is part of a huge national effort. I appreciate that the report emphasized the importance of context in word usage, noting that terms could be offensive with one meaning but not another, and that a manual review process was done after the AntConc search to determine true hits (meaning those which are offensive or biased) and false hits. However, the report does not clearly explain the Brotherton Full list—perhaps based on the assumption that it is commonly known enough not to require explanation. (A Google search for “Brotherton full list” yielded three results, only one of which was relevant and was a blog about this project.) I had questions about why specific terms listed in the report were considered “true hits.” For example, these terms were listed as having true and false hits: bisexual, gay, Jew, rape, and suicide. Perhaps such an explanation was deemed outside of the report’s scope. However, my own questions as well as the social media comments noted in the report demonstrate for me the importance of clearly communicating the reasons for undertaking a project like this. I hope this is one small part of a larger conversation in Welsh archives and libraries about problematic language found in resource description. Contributed by Kate James.
Merrilee Proffitt is Senior Manager for the OCLC RLP. She provides community development skills and expert support to institutions within the OCLC Research Library Partnership.
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