The COVID Information Commons & Columbia University Libraries – using translation & transcription to increase accessibility to NSF-funded research – The Tinker

"As the scholarly ecosystem becomes increasingly reliant on digital media, it is essential that we employ inclusive practices which promote digital accessibility. Accessible digital design refers to the practice of removing barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing websites, digital technologies, and online tools. Our goal is to develop content that all people can share, perceive, navigate, and interact with, regardless of their ability/disability status. It is equally important to share materials in multiple media formats and languages to reach broad, global audiences.

In collaboration with the Columbia University Libraries, the NSF-funded Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub (NEBDHub) (NSF award #1916585) began a project in 2021 to make the resources generated through community programming at the COVID Information Commons (CIC) accessible to the broader public. As of 2025, the NEBDHub team of staff and students, with support from the Columbia University Libraries’ Open Scholarship team, who manage Academic Commons, has created English transcriptions and Spanish, French, and Hindi translations for 148 COVID-19 Research Lightning Talk presentations hosted by the COVID Information Commons project team funded by NSF award #2139391. These presentations were made by NSF-, NIH-, UDSA-, and CDC-funded researchers and considered a range of scientific topics, including COVID’s impact on public policy, social structures, technology, the global economy, and beyond. These COVID-19 resources align with the NEBDHub’s website accessibility guidelines and Broader Impact principles. The materials will be maintained by the Academic Commons in perpetuity, ensuring their availability to students, faculty, staff, and members of the public across the U.S. and around the world...."