“Meeting the Need for Metadata Accessibility and Usability: Ergonomics and Adaptive Technology for Producers and Consumers.” Presented online, March 4, 2021.
Hermine Vermeij (UCLA) moderated a panel discussion that was opened by Joshua Henry (Westminster Choir College), who began by discussing how accessibility and usability grew out of the field of ergonomics. He explained that metadata producers – due to the nature of their work – are at risk for repetitive stress injuries. Tips for reducing repetitive motion include changing posture throughout the day, taking breaks, limiting clutter, reducing monitor glare, and keeping frequently-used items nearby to avoid reaching. A good chair will have five casters, an adjustable seat (both height and depth), and a backrest that will allow reclining. Your chair should help support your back and allow your forearms and wrists to be in a horizontal and neutral position. Monitor and keyboard placement should allow shoulders to be relaxed, and arms should neither be neither cramped nor reaching. In response to questions, Josh mentioned that standing desks can be beneficial but aren’t necessarily better than sitting desks (see sitting to standing workstation comparisons at UCLA and Cornell), and that using a regular keyboard and mouse with laptops is better ergonomically.
Ann Churukian (Vassar College) shared a speech recognition software called Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 13 (produced by Nuance). Its basic functionality includes opening and closing applications and tabs, navigating, clicking, focusing a cursor anywhere on a page, inputting words and numbers, pressing keyboard keys or combinations, and editing and manipulating text. It works well with OCLC Connexion Client and the new RDA Toolkit, can spell words with letters or NATO phonetic alphabet, and has an extensive customizable vocabulary. Ann’s demonstration in OCLC Connexion client was pretty amazing to watch!
Ann also read a statement from Tracey Snyder (Cornell University). Tracey has customized her Dragon to use Gary Strawn’s Music Toolkit, OCLC keymaps, and special voice command shortcuts. For foreign words, she suggests speaking an English word that looks like a non-English word and editing it afterward.
Learning Dragon doesn’t take long, but Ann noted a few drawbacks. Using it remotely is difficult, most non-English words must be spelled, and it doesn’t work well in Google applications except Gmail. It seems to freeze and crash more often than other software, and speaking out loud may not be appreciated by co-workers in an open office setting. Not to mention, it can tax one’s vocal cords.
Kurt Hanselman (San Diego State University) and Kristi Bergland (University of Minnesota) spoke about designing documentation and tools with the end user in mind. Kurt discussed universal design, an approach that addresses the needs of all potential users, and reminded us that metadata producers need to be kept in mind, especially those using assistive technologies. He discussed accessibility for OCLC, Connexion Browser, MarcEdit, and Integrated Library Systems, specifically Alma. Kristi spoke about accessible design of documentation, which encompasses accessibility in alternative text, contrast, headings, links, lists, and tables. Accessible documentation increases not only accessibility, but also equity, diversity, inclusion, recruitment, and retention. A good first step is to create a template or style sheet outlining specifics, then hold a “documentation hackathon” where contributors may refine and discuss end results.
Kathy Glennan (University of Maryland) discussed the new RDA Toolkit in view of accessibility. One of the main goals with the RDA Restructure & Redesign Project was to bring it into compliance with current accessibility standards. The RDA 3R Project worked with a site designer, arranged for a consulting firm to evaluate the ‘stable’ site in April 2019, and remediated the issues. One outstanding issue is finding ways to assist screen readers with foreign-language text elements.
Michelle Hahn (Indiana University) gave her presentation on screen readers using her own JAWS (Job Access With Speech) screen reader. She pre-recorded demos of screen readers using Blacklight, Innovative, ExLibris, and WorldCat, with a separate demonstration about punctuation, which is extremely important to screen readers. She encouraged us to watch those demonstrations, which are linked from the session slides. JAWS can be set to voice different amounts of punctuation. Michelle demonstrated how the JAWS reader voiced several cataloging fields, both with and without punctuation: title and responsibility area, publication, series, cast and contents. The screen reader pauses when it encounters certain types of punctuation; when there is no punctuation—and therefore no pauses–the meaning of the words is lost.
An audience member asked whether the new policy to allow removal of ISBD punctuation would affect screen readers, and Michelle acknowledged it is a huge equity problem that may create an internal digital divide in the library world, based on who can afford to pay for systems programming. She mentioned that an article will be coming out in American Libraries Magazine about this topic.
Summary provided by Janice Bunker (Brigham Young University).