THE ACCESSIBILITY GAP IN DIGITAL LIBRARY PLATFORMS FOR PRINT-DISABLED USERS

Abstract

The digitization of library collections has been heralded as a great equalizer, promising to democratize access to the world's recorded knowledge for readers regardless of physical location or institutional affiliation. Yet for millions of print-disabled users, including those with visual impairments, dyslexia, motor disabilities, and other conditions that affect the ability to read standard printed materials, this promise remains substantially unfulfilled. Despite significant advances in assistive technologies and growing legal mandates for digital accessibility, the platforms that deliver digital library content continue to present formidable barriers that range from the merely inconvenient to the completely insurmountable. These barriers are not random or incidental; they are systematic, reflecting a deep-seated design culture that treats accessibility as an afterthought rather than a fundamental requirement. This article examines the nature and scope of the accessibility gap in contemporary digital library platforms, tracing its roots in procurement practices, technical architectures, and organizational priorities. It argues that bridging this gap requires not merely technical fixes, but a fundamental reconceptualization of the digital library as a universal design environment, one that assumes diverse bodies, minds, and reading practices from the very first line of code.