Beyond Compliance: Building a Sustainable Digital Accessibility Program in an Academic Library

Abstract

This paper was submitted to the symposium entitled “Beyond Boundaries: New Mode of Access and Accessibility through Emerging Technologies Symposium” held at the University of Macau Library on March 25-27, 2026. It was co-organised by the IFLA Information Technology Section, IFLA Asia–Oceania Regional Division and University of Macau Library. In December 2023, the University of Southern California (USC) reached a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights addressing accessibility barriers in its online programs, services, and digital content. The agreement required USC to adopt Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards, create a remediation plan, and improve reporting procedures. The University launched a campus-wide initiative, including digital inventory, accessibility statements, Digital Accessibility Director appointment, policy development, procurement integration, training programs, and compliance tool deployment.