Accessibility

This guide highlights the current levels of compliance in library services and resources; efforts being made to improve any deficiencies; and some additional support and tools available to library users. There are separate pages detailing the level of compliance for various aspects of our services. As many of our resources are provided by third-parties, it is not always possible to provide accessibility statements for each one.

The University of the Highlands and Islands is committed to providing accessible applications, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Springshare is committed to ensuring their products are accessible and without barriers to ensure inclusivity for all. They use the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 as their guide in the design and development of our products, with a goal of meeting Level AA standards. For more information view the Springshare Accessibility Statement and the Springshare Accessibility Conformance Report (Jan 2023) 

Content on this Libguides site is produced by the university library service, hosted on a platform provided by Springshare. Features that ensure this site can be used by as many people as possible include:

• Zooming text to at least 200% without it spilling off-screen
• Navigating most of the website using just a keyboard
• Navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• You can 'skip to main content' by using the tab key on your keyboard
• The website can be used by a screen reader

We are aware that some areas of this site are not fully accessible and are working to addresss these issues wherever possible:

• Some Word and PDF documents may not be accessible. They may lack alternative text for images and headings in appropriate places.
• In some cases, link test is not descriptive (eg. click here) and some pages contain unlabelled links.
• Some images may lack alternative text
• A few pages use tables for layout, which may cause issues for screen readers, and may result in additional scrolling when page text is enlarged.

Deficiencies in the accessibility of this website were highlighted using the Axe Website Accessibility Checker.

Librarians responsible for creating and updating content on the Libguides site are working to ensure that it is accessible as possible and that the issues highlighted above are rectified wherever the system setup allows.

When an issue is outwith our control, we engage with suppliers to encourage improvements. Future procurements for replacement systems and resources will emphasise the importance of meeting accessibility regulations. Systems that cannot reach these standards will not be considered suitable. Further details can be found in the sections on each system and resource.

If you find any accessibility problems or think Springshare is not meeting accessibility requirements, contact the Springshare Support Team.

If you experience difficulties with this website or require content in an alternative format, such as PDF, large print or audio recording please contact the library by:

• Opening a ticket on Servicedesk
• Contact us on library chat (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)
• Contact your local partner library
• Visit the library when they are open

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

This statement was updated on 14 June 2023.