Biannual publication of the Society of Ohio Archivists available at OhioArchivists.org Fall 2024
2024 ANNUAL SPRING MEETING RECAP
Looking Back, Looking Forward:
Advancing Accessibility in Archives KEYNOTE ADDRESS Presenter: Dr. Lydia Tang, LYRASIS, Synopsis by Sara Mouch, the University of Toledo
Dr. Lydia Tang, Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for LYRASIS, was this year’s keynote speaker. In her address, she emphasized the importance of increasing the accessibility of archives and shared tools that archivists can use to improve their work in this area. Dr. Tang first shared her experience of becoming aware of the barriers to archives through her personal relationships, which
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
1......... Annual Meeting Recap 2........ President’s Message 5........Feature Story 8....... SOA News 13......Climate Control 14.....DEIA 16..... Digital Discussion 18.....News & Notes 20....Connect with SOA
inspired her to get involved in the work of professional organizations focusing on accessibility. Doing so led her to co-found the Accessibility and Disability Section of the Society of American Archivists, which undertook the mission of keeping archivists employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, just months after its founding. Changes to the Americans with Disability Act and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines underscore the responsibility of archivists to improve access to information and services to everyone. Dr. Tang emphasized a culture of care and invited her attendees to do so as well. She illustrated patterns of inaccessibility found in libraries and archives, such as furniture arrangement, types of available furniture, location of collections, and the information publicly available on library spaces. Dr. Tang followed up with providing examples of strategies archivists can employ to combat such patterns. From removing physical barriers to improving the performance of online tools such as screen readers with the use of headers and alt text when designing web content, Dr. Tang addressed obstacles to implementing change and offered solutions. Furthermore, she addressed the need to consider accessibility when hiring new professionals.
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Dr. Tang’s clear and practical examples provided attendees with a place to start when returning to their own institutions. In addition, she equipped the group with multiple resources from which to start learning how to be a better ally for disabled people.
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