Abstract
Parallel discussions are currently happening about open access and accessibility but I strongly believe that these two critical topics needs to be viewed as a part of the same discourse. What is open access if its not open to all readers and conversely what is accessible if only to a small number of readers? Libraries have started to develop important strategies to accommodate users with print disabilities but with copyright limitations these materials are only available to a select few. Open knowledge should be accessible to everyone. This talk will focus on “what if?” we looked at open access and accessibility and scholarly communications as one and the same?
About Katya Pereyaslavska
Katya Pereyaslavska (M.A., M.I.) is currently seconded to the Association of Research Libraries as a Visiting Program Officer for Accessibility and Universal Design and tasked with raising awareness of inclusive library practices and accessible publishing. In her day-to day role as the Accessibility Librarian at Scholars Portal, Ontario Council of University Libraries, Katya has been responsible for the development of a service and major research initiatives such as the Accessible Content ePortal (ACE), Accessibility Information Toolkit for Libraries and the Report on Accessible Media (ROAM). Dedicated to leadership and project management, Katya has completed the Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians and has mentored young professionals through a series of workshops on accessibility and copyright at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto and Western University.