Library meaning of "accessibility"

I welcome your interest and contributions to EO. I am glad for your
leadership in getting recognition for information accessibility requirements,
particularly those developed by WAI.

I find no direct mention in my ALA site search of "accessibility".

The meaning that WAI uses implies "access for all to information, principally
on the web."

I have often feared that the word has a meaning quite different to libraries:
the ability to physically get into the library, and get to information,
as in the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act.

     http://www.ala.org/ascla/adakit.html

At the recent E-book conference library day, I asked the audience for
a show of hands on the two meanings. About 1/3 the WAI meaning,
3/4 responded to the ADA meaning. (The overlap was slight.)

The references there to disability seem too broad.

Would you please send the EO group the appropriate ALA reference?

I find interesting that Section 508 is not the reference.

Regards/Harvey Bingham
Invited expert, W3C WAI
Consultant, digital talking books XML application designer, sponsored by:
     Library of Congress --
         National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
     Digital Audio Information Systems
     National Information Systems Organization

Received on Friday, 7 December 2001 12:36:51 UTC