UKSG Conference 2017 Breakout - Providing accessible content – initiatives in UK university libraries - Nadia Casagranda
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Nadia Casagranda presented the Accessible Format Service (AFS) at King's College London during the UKSG Conference, detailing the institution's support for students with disabilities, including the provision of assistive technology and resources. The AFS trial highlighted significant demand for accessible materials, with challenges in staffing and varying publisher requirements affecting service delivery. Recommendations suggest enhancing collaboration and support during peak seasons to improve AFS efficiency and user experience.
UKSG Conference 2017 Breakout - Providing accessible content – initiatives in UK university libraries - Nadia Casagranda
- 1. Supporting the Accessible Format Service at King’s College London UKSG conference, Harrogate 10th-12th April 2017 Nadia Casagranda – King’s College London
- 2. King’s College London • 28,900 students (2015/2016) • Mostly on-campus courses, with some distance learning • 2,890 students with a disability (10%) – of this 42% dyslexia, 3.5% visual/hearing impairment
- 3. Library services – a few highlights • 67.5k ejournals, 13.7k print serials, 338 databases, 457k ebooks, 956.6k monographs • 6.2m full-text article downloads, 2.1m ebook sections accessed • 4.2m searches on Library Search + catalogue • Course reading list material - core and recommended texts are purchased in electronic format as well as print
- 4. Library Services support for disabled users • Assistive technology room and software • free ILLs, book fetching, extended loans • Accessible Format Service (AFS) • Frontline staff with functional responsibility for disability at each library site
- 5. How the project came about • Cuts to disability allowance has led to pressure on library to increase support • Objectives in LS Operational plan: Eresources accessibility & IT resources guides (Jun 16) SensusAccess (Jan 17) Develop AFS - Subscriptions and Interlending to support obtaining AF files; 3-month trial to assess how to best resource and scale up the service
- 6. Trial setup • 90% of AF file requests are for book chapters • Workflow discussions with AFS and Acquisition Services – detailed breakdown of procedures and of remits viz ebooks • Early talks with BL to provide plain PDFs alternative to BL On Demand • Proposal document written and approved November 2016
- 7. A few key facts and figures • Trial ran from early Dec 16 to mid March 17 and treated as high priority alongside team’s key priorities • Two S&I staff involved; this was key to keep close track, analyse issues and assess impact • 55 AF requests handled (70% in Dec) and range of publishers contacted. Owning item is prerequisite for requesting files • Most work done via email. Stats log tracked turnaround and staff time, publisher patterns, and was useful working tool
- 8. Challenges • Staff time intensive - half day each day in Dec, at team peak time for key services and work • Learning curve due to number of request methods, publisher requirements, AF file issues • Unpredictable demand and added times if course tutor did not use MyReadingList service • User needs assessment and interaction stayed with AFS – form introduced later in trial to ensure consistency in info provided
- 9. Outcomes • High level of support for AFS in Dec/Jan had a substantial impact on S&I key priorities and core services • AFS was able to handle higher volume of initial user queries; It reduced training and decision-making required by SLAs • Collaborative experience highly rated as a key positive: played to the teams’ different strengths, shared purpose. In line with our Quality Service standard and “one library, one service” ethos
- 10. Recommendations (draft) • Seasonal Aug/Sept and late Nov/Dec peaks coincide for both teams – additional temporary support required, to be used as shared resource, to adequately resource and enable scaling up of the AFS service • S&I can support AFS at quieter times; develop expertise in team by involving more staff • AFS to involve Partnership & Liaison and Acquisition Services more in disability discussions re: advocacy of MyReadingList
- 11. Wider context reflections • Publishers more aware – discuss as part of functionality enhancements, advocate signing up to RNIB Bookshare • Reduce effort duplication through community collaboration: Central registry of publishers’ contacts Standardise forms, use institution code? • Is there a role for book suppliers • Searching and navigating to resources is equally important – consider as part of discovery tool and LMS reviews, and at tenders for new systems
- 12. Thank you Nadia Casagranda Library Services King’s College London [email protected]