Metadata and universal access in digital library environments
| Date | 19 June 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-06-2016-0074 |
| Published date | 19 June 2017 |
| Pages | 210-221 |
| Author | Wondwossen Mulualem Beyene |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information user studies,Metadata,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Metadata and universal access
in digital library environments
Wondwossen Mulualem Beyene
Archivistics, Library and Information Science,
Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway
Abstract
Purpose –Accessibility metadata has been a recurring theme in recent efforts aimed at promoting
accessibility of information and communication technology solutions to all, regardless of their disabilities,
cultural differences, language, etc. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of accessibility
metadata in improving knowledge discovery and access in digital library environments, discuss
developments in creating accessibility terms for resource description, and attempt to relate those
developments to the overall purpose of universal design to finally recommend points for improvement.
Design/methodology/approach –This is an exploratory study based on review of selected literature and
documentations made available by metadata projects. Search for related literature was made using Google
Scholar, EBSCO, and Web of Science Databases using terms and combination of terms such as “universal
design and metadata,”“accessibility metadata,”“inclusive design,”and “metadata and digital libraries.”Some
documentation on metadata projects were obtained through e-mail correspondences.
Findings –The overalldiscussion showsthat accessibilitymetadata can be instrumentalin exposingaccessible
resources to search engines and in augmenting library resource discovery tools for the benefit of users with
disabilities. Accessibilitymetadata would help usersto quickly discover materialsthat fit their needs. However,
the notionof indexing resources bytheir accessibility attributes remains anarea that needs further exploration.
Originality/value –The paper gives emphasis to the importance of metadata research in universal design
endeavors. It also provides recommendations for practical applications that would improve accessibility in
digital library environments.
Keywords Universal design, Accessibility, Inclusive design, Universal access, Accessibility metadata,
Digital library accessibility
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The overall aim of universal design, also knownas inclusive design, is to make products and
services accessible and usable to all regardless of theirdisability status, gender, language,etc.
(Persson et al., 2015). Though it is much wider in scope than accessibility, the efforts for
achieving its intention in the context of information systems could be broadly categorizedas
designing foraccessibility and designing foradaptability (Green et al., 2013; Kelly et al., 2009).
The first approachsought to ensure accessibility throughthe use of guidelines and standards
such as those developed by World Wide Web’s Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C/WAI).
The argument from the proponents of the latter, i.e., the adaptability approach, was that
adherence to technical specificationshas failed to bring significant impacts(Kelly et al., 2009).
Their argument seems to be supported by studies which confirmed that reliance on
guidelines will not necessarily ensure universal accessibility (Comeaux and Schmetzke, 2007;
Stewart et al., 2005).There have been cases where websitesevaluated as inaccessible were, in
fact, judged accessible by the groups they were intended for and vice versa (Sloan et al.,2006).
All in all, the lessons learned and conclusions reached (Vanderheiden and Treviranus, 2011;
Vanderheiden et al., 2014; Kelly et al., 2009) could be summarized as:
•Designing for accessibility by itself will not be a panacea for solving the wide range
of problems in the area.
•Assistive technologies are expensive, difficult to be accessed by everyone who needs
them, and fail to meet the needs of many. Solutions targeting disabilities that affect
fewer people become even more expensive.
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 35 No. 2, 2017
pp. 210-221
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-06-2016-0074
Received 30 December 2015
Revised 28 October 2016
Accepted 10 November 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
210
LHT
35,2
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