Many libraries stress the importance of providing accessible content to their patrons but may be unsure about how to determine how accessible their electronic resources are. This session outlines Cook Library’s process in assessing the accessibility of our e-resource platforms and the lessons and struggles we encountered along the way. We hope to de-mystify web accessibility and empower professionals of all levels of accessibility expertise to assess their resources and the content they provide.

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Myiesha Speight – Resident Librarian, Towson University
Myiesha Speight is the Resident Librarian at Towson University. Myiesha holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in English with a minor in History from Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 2019, she received her MLiS with a specialization in Diversity and Inclusion from the University of Maryland College Park’s iSchool located in College Park, Maryland. Her professional interests include diversifying young adult and children’s collection and bolstering accessible and inclusive library spaces and websites.

Julia Caffrey-Hill – Web Services Librarian, Towson University
Julia Caffrey-Hill is the Web Services Librarian at Towson University. She received her M.L.I.S. from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts and a B.A. in Anthropology and East Asian Studies from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Her interests include advocating for accessible and inclusive user interfaces, promoting usability, and mentorship for women and underrepresented groups in technology, and computer science.

Rob Pleshar – Library Associate for Electronic Resources, Towson University
Rob Pleshar has been the Library Associate for Electronic Resources at Towson University Library since January 2019. Prior to this, he was the Electronic Resource Specialist at University of Chicago Library, where he worked for 23 years. He has played the tuba even longer.