Albertsons Library’s Mary Aagard and Pamela Kindelberger presented a webinar for the Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association. Aagard, head of acquisitions and collections, and Kindelberger, section manager of ordering, interlibrary loan and gifts, shared their expertise on how to develop equally effective alternative access plans for library resources. Staff from Northwestern University’s library were also part of the webinar.
Boise State’s library strives to purchase, license and ensure accessibility to all of its content in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, though technology sometimes imposes limits, making resources and services less user-friendly. The library developed an equally effective alternative access plan to ensure that all users, regardless of physical or visual challenges, can use the materials while remediation is in progress.
The pandemic further emphasized how important online access is when it’s the patron’s only option.
“Equally effective alternative access plans are important to the success of our students because it allows us to help students where they are – and get them access to the materials they need, in a format they can use,” Kindelberger said.