Centering Accessibility: A Review of Institutional Repository Policy and Practice

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Libraries have proposed institutional repositories as a means of providing universal access to university research. However, in recent years, it has become clear that universities and libraries have neglected web accessibility in constructing services including open access publishing programs. METHODS To better understand accessibility practices in relation to institutional repositories, survey responses were collected from repository managers. The survey consisted of five multiple choice and two open-ended questions regarding remediation and accessibility practices used by repository managers. RESULTS & DISCUSSION While the importance of accessibility has been well documented, survey responses showed that few policies and practices have been put in place to ensure accessibility in institutional repositories. Key barriers to accessibility included lack of organizational resources, lack of time, inadequate training, and product restrictions. CONCLUSION These results suggest that accessibility should be prioritized in future creation of policies and allocation of library resources.

Keywords

• accessibility
• institutional repositories
• remediation
• scholarly communication
• open access