Making Digital Works Accessible through Publishing (Not Permission)

Abstract:  Copyright law in the United States permits third parties like libraries to reproduce and distribute accessible versions of books for people with disabilities, but vendors could more efficiently and effectively create “born-accessible” copies of digital works for educational uses. In fact, the European Union is requiring e-books to be born-accessible starting in 2025. In this paper, library leaders describe how they have successfully improved the availability of accessible works by testing works and sharing the results with vendors, modifying their e-resources licensing strategies, and building on best practices. The paper concludes with recommendations on how libraries can work together with journals and publisher partners to advance born-accessible publishing standards.