Beautification: Making Course Readings Accessible, Functional, and Just Plain Pretty

Abstract

Course readings are a crucial component of the educational experience for students. Reserves staff can improve the quality of materials we provide so that readings are more usable and accessible to all students. This poster presentation will demonstrate the beautification process I used in my quest to achieve universal design for all course readings at my institution, including how much additional time I spent upgrading PDFs. I'll describe the concept of universal design and why it's important to course reserves in particular. The results of annual library surveys will help me demonstrate how the process has improved readings for all students, regardless of whether or not the student has disclosed that they have a print disability.