Renovation projects impacting services at multiple library locations. More information.
The archive has a brand new look.
ExploreUK, the gateway to UK Libraries’ collections of primary source materials – including freely available digitized collections of manuscripts, photographs, newspapers, maps, rare books, and more – recently debuted an updated interface.
Led by Head of Software Development & Integration Nicole Sand, Digital Library Developer Neal Powers, and Programmer MLE Slone, the project launched in September after nearly a year of development.
The changes improve the user experience, giving the platform a more intuitive layout, improving result filtering, and making it easier for both researchers and archivists to manage requests for materials.
More importantly, the updates ensure that ExploreUK complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act by bringing the platform in line with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards so that Libraries materials are accessible to users with disabilities.
“These new standards represent a paradigm shift in accessibility,” said Sand. “Our work involves not only back-end software development, but also creating a space where developers, content providers, and web property managers can collaborate to create a whole new ecosystem that works to describe content in ways that are accessible to everyone.”
The WCAG 2.1 standards impact every facet of web design and usability, from the use of color to the nuts and bolts of interface operability. Primary among the team’s goals for ExploreUK was improving the experience of users who use screen readers.
“It’s always been our team’s goal that everyone can use this site really well,” said Powers. “We want it to be possible for everyone to access our collections and discover amazing things about Kentucky. How can we continue to make it easier for differently abled users to read books from the 17th century?”
For UK Libraries’ software development team, that means building systems with accessibility at the front and center from the beginning as an integral part of the development process.
“Accessibility is always a challenge when working with archival materials,” said Sand. “As a rule, we’re dealing with content that was created before these guidelines were in place. We'll never be done with improving accessibility, but this update represents an important step forward.”
The ExploreUK update is one effort among many in UK Libraries’ commitment to providing equal opportunity for all users, with initiatives that span technologies, library spaces, and affordability.
“I’m proud of how this team has worked together,” said Sand. “We’ve each brought distinct skills into this process, learned from each other and supported one another, and seen a wonderful cross-pollination of capacities that led to this result: better supporting students, scholars, and researchers at UK, across the state, and around the world.”
