Event Overview
The Accessibility Symposium 2.0 was hosted June 17-19, 2025 by the OCUL Accessibility Community. The event featured presentations and panels exploring critical topics on accessibility in the post-secondary library landscape.
The Accessibility Symposium 2.0 was organized by:
- Carli Agostino, Carleton University
- Michael R. Clark, University of Waterloo
- Eva Lu, Queen's University
- Megan McMeekin, University of Ottawa
- Sonya Panangaden, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Mark Weiler, Wilfrid Laurier University
Event Recordings and Materials
Tuesday, June 17
| Presentation | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|
Opening remarks | Mark Robertson, OCUL Chair and Dean of Libraries, Toronto Metropolitan University |
Keynote - Making the World Come True: How the stories we tell can help us usher in a more accessible world Join disabled author and disability rights advocate Amanda Leduc for a keynote presentation on her publishing journey, and how weaving disability representation into stories can help all of us work toward a new, more accessible future. Watch the keynote recording (YouTube) | Amanda Leduc |
Cracking the Mask: From “Advocating as Student” to “Advocating for Students” in my Early Career This session will highlight the presenter's experience as a recent university graduate and as an early career library technician living with neurodiversity. Considering this context, she will lend her perspective to creating a culture of inclusion for students and staff at post-secondary libraries. Watch Cracking the Mask recording (YouTube) Download Cracking the Mask transcript (Word) | Emma Bullerwell |
No, Really, Which Search Engine Do I Use? Making a Guide for Finding Accessible Documents Finding and linking accessible documents from the libraries can be anything but a simple task. A user guide can help support the process, but changes to database systems are needed. This presentation reviews library system variables and potential ways to reduce barriers using training materials, advocacy, and relationships with instructors and vendors. Attendees will leave the presentation with tips for identifying barriers in their own systems that may prevent access to alternative formats, as well as tips for addressing barriers through with a variety of resources and methods. Watch No, Really, Which Search Engine Do I Use? recording (YouTube) Download No, Really, Which Search Engine Do I Use? transcript (Word) Download No, Really, Which Search Engine Do I Use? slides (PPTX) | Caitlin Malone (Indiana University) |
Perspectives on Access: Navigating Accommodations Across Campus This panel features academic community members sharing their lived experiences navigating campus systems to access accommodations and support — whether through library services, the disability services office, academic programs, or the workplace more broadly. Panelists will also reflect on how academic libraries can better support their learning, research, and teaching, offering valuable insights into the barriers they've encountered and the changes they hope to see. | Toufic Chehab (Student, Carleton University) Sierra Lefave (Student, Toronto Metropolitan University) Sophie Spirkl (Faculty, University of Waterloo) Moderator: Carli Agostino (Carleton University) |
Wednesday, June 18
| Presentation | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|
Reversing the Gaze: Ontario Library Managers’ Perception of and Experience with Accommodation for Disability This presentation will focus on the accommodations process in Ontario libraries. We will talk about the 'predicament of disclosure' inherent in asking for accommodation and outline strategies for library organizations and managers to indicate they are invested in creating an accessible workplace. Watch Reversing the Gaze recording (YouTube) Download Reversing the Gaze transcript (Word) | Heather Hill (Western University) Kevin Oswald (Western University) |
Beyond the Default: A Starter Kit for Implementing Database Accessibility Icons Queen’s University Library improved access to multimedia resources by adding accessibility icons to its A-Z database landing page, helping users more easily identify video databases that meet their individual needs. We will share the steps involved in this initiative, such as assessing video databases, developing icon categories, and collaborating across teams to enhance discovery, along with resources to implement something similar at your institution. Watch Beyond the Default recording (YouTube) Download Beyond the Default transcript (Word) Download Beyond the Default slides (PPTX) View Beyond the Default slides (PDF) Starter Kit - Downloads: Accessibility Database Icons (Word) | Carling Spinney (Queen's University) Angélique Roy (Queen's University) |
Streamlining Access: The Development and Implementation of the ACE Self-Declaration Form The Accessible Content ePortal (ACE), offered by Scholars Portal, provides accessible library materials to individuals with perceptual disabilities at Ontario post-secondary institutions. Trent University Library & Archives, in collaboration with Student Accessibility Services, developed a self-declaration form to streamline ACE token access while protecting user privacy, ensuring legal compliance, and enhancing accessibility for both students and faculty. This presentation will highlight the ACE Self-Declaration form, focusing on its rationale, development, and implementation. Watch Streamlining Access recording (YouTube) Download Streamlining Access transcript (Word) | Ellen Olsen-Lynch (Trent University) Allison Ridgway (Trent University) |
Teaching Digital Accessibility in the Digital Humanities: Some Semi-Successful Approaches This presentation will be about three ways an academic librarian has taught digital accessibility with varying levels of success and failure: a digital book about making accessible digital books, a lesson plan for a classroom discussion about WCAG, and a “cheat sheet” flier about the “Top 7 Things for Digital Accessibility." Watch Teaching Digital Accessibility recording (YouTube) Download Teaching Digital Accessibility transcript (Word) | Elliott Stevens (University of Washington) |
Empowering Inclusive Learning: Leveraging Accessibility Metadata in Ontario's Post-Secondary Libraries What is accessibility metadata and why is it important? In this presentation, you will learn about standards and best practices and find out what you can do to move academic libraries forward. Watch Empowering Inclusive Learning recording (YouTube) | Madeleine Rothberg (GBH) Christopher Carr (Concordia University) Charles LaPierre (Benetech) |
Thursday, June 19
| Presentation | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|
Fat Accessibility Concerns in Academic Libraries: A Primer This presentation will ask participants to consider the ways in which anti-fat bias is present in their library spaces as an accessibility concern. It will provide an introduction to anti-fatness generally and the ways it has been identified in library furniture and in the experiences of fat library workers, culminating in some suggestions for changes. Watch Fat Accessibility Concerns in Academic Libraries recording (YouTube) Download Fat Accessibility Concerns in Academic Libraries transcript (Word) Download Fat Accessibility Concerns in Academic Libraries slides (PPTX) View Fat Accessibility Concerns in Academic Libraries slides (PDF) | Roger Chabot (Western University) |
Perceived and Unperceived Barriers to Access for Gaming Library Collections Gaming collections in libraries can support both recreational and academic pursuits while advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This presentation explores accessibility in the gaming industry, the challenges libraries face in offering accessible and discoverable collections, and highlights opportunities for inclusive programming, collection development, and user support. Watch Perceived and Unperceived Barriers to Access recording (YouTube) Download Perceived and Unperceived Barriers to Access transcript (Word) Download Perceived and Unperceived Barriers to Access slides (PPTX) | Michelle Goodridge (Wilfrid Laurier University) |
Integrating Accessibility into Database Procurement Processes As libraries provide access to an ever-increasing array of online subscription-based databases, the accessibility of these resources has not always kept pace with accepted accessibility best practices or legal requirements. In this session, we will describe how to develop a collaborative cohort-based process for reviewing database accessibility and communicating with vendors based on our experience as part of the State University of New York system and the practices developed by other institutions who have collaborated to improve database access at their institutions. Watch Integrating Accessibility into Database Procurement recording (YouTube) Download Integrating Accessibility into Database Procurement transcript (Word) Download Integrating Accessibility into Database Procurement slides (PPTX) View Integrating Accessibility into Database Procurement slides (PDF) | Carli Spina (Fashion Institute of Technology) Rebecca Oling (SUNY Purchase) |
From Concept to Creation: Developing an Open Access Resource for Accessible Library Teaching McMaster University Libraries launched the "Accessible Library Teaching" initiative to create an open-access resource to help library staff nationwide develop knowledge and skills in accessibility, specifically in the ways that we teach and interact with learners. In this panel, the editors of the Accessible Library Teaching book and several chapter authors will share their motivation in joining this project as well as their experiences with working on developing this resource. Watch From Concept to Creation recording (YouTube) Download From Concept to Creation transcript (Word) | Anna Flak (McMaster University) Katie Harding (McMaster University) Katie Merriman (McMaster University) Matt Fesnak (McMaster University) Nancy Waite (McMaster University) |
Accessible Archives: Why we don’t have them and why AI isn’t helping This presentation is a look at how modern AI tools are not incorporating with common systems used for accessibility services, particularly how PDF authoring and verification tools – which are critical for dissemination of digitized archival content – are unable to incorporate extracted text from ChatGPT or similar AI systems. This leaves the creation of accessible and AODA-compliant documents overly laborious and often unrealistic. It is also a discussion of privacy concerns around AI tools and how to favour systems that will not mine copyrighted materials or user data. Watch Accessible Archives recording (YouTube) Download Accessible Archives transcript (Word) | Mark Pellegrino (McMaster University) |