Accessibility Initiatives Task Force

Reports to: Risë Nelson, Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA)

Task Force Charge: The Accessibility Initiatives Task Force is charged with supporting the Director for DEIA with the following projects to help strengthen the library’s accessibility efforts:  

• Update the Library’s Accessibility Services Page to provide a more comprehensive and current list of services and resources that enable staff and stakeholders with disabilities to do their best work and research and to take full advantage of the library’s offerings. This task force will also recommend a plan for ongoing maintenance and oversight of this page.  
   

• Provide guidance and feedback on related projects coordinated by the Director for DEIA and Graduate Fellow for Accessibility Initiatives, including:
  • the library’s Guide to Planning Accessible Events and related resources that will help prepare event coordinators to plan and host in-person and virtual events that are impactful and affirming to attendees with disabilities 
  • library-wide communications efforts about current and upcoming accessibility initiatives.  
     
• Propose an Accessibility Audit to learn about the experiences and needs of staff and stakeholders as related to issues of accessibility in the library’s physical and/or virtual spaces and offerings. If an audit is funded, task force members will:
  • assist in designing a survey with an external consultant to seek answers to questions that will help us understand and respond to our staff/stakeholders’ related experiences, needs, and ideas;  
  • help promote the survey to ensure as many voices are heard as possible; 
  • participate in early discussion(s) of the survey report towards the initial development of the library’s accessibility action and accountability plan. 

• Identify and propose ongoing faculty and staff training opportunities related to accessibility concerns in CANVAS library services, instruction in and/or by the library, digitization, customer service, and general student and staff support, and promotion of these through DEIA communications. 

Committee eligibility: Any full- or part-time Yale Library staff member with a commitment to building a culture of inclusion and accessibility. Staff members are encouraged to speak with their supervisor first about this potential additional engagement before submitting an expression of interest in becoming a task force member.

Frequency of Meetings: Monthly

Committee Members:

Related websites:

• Library Accessibility Services
• Belonging at Yale
• The Office of Diversity and Inclusion