Make a Difference with Web Accessibility: Adding PDF Accessibility Tags

As youth librarians, we want our services to be accessible to all of our patrons. We use visual schedules in our programs, and provide patrons with access to accessible technology. Our websites should be accessible, too. Depending on how your library controls its website, you may even have a built-in accessibility checker to make sure each webpage meets accessibility standards.

I was updating a webpage when my library’s built-in accessibility checker marked a PDF File as a spot that needed to be updated. It explained that the file needed accessibility tags. Accessibility tags make a PDF accessible to patrons using screen readers. By adding these tags, a PDF can align with the W3C’s  Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

If you upload PDFs to your library’s website, such as a programming brochure or book lists, here are some tips to make your PDF Accessible.

1. Design the PDF with Contrasting Colors

While designing your PDF, make sure the text and background are contrasting colors. You can check that the PDF meets accessibility guidelines with a website like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker. Copy in the hex value of your font color into the “Foreground” box, and the hex value of the background color into the “Background” box. Then, the contrast checker shows if your color contrast pass content accessibility guidelines. If it doesn’t pass, you can adjust the color slider to find an appropriate contrast.

2. Add PDF Accessibility Tags

Open the PDF in a software like Adobe Acrobat Pro that lets you add accessibility tags. The General Services Administration’s website defines different types of accessibility tags and how to use them to define a document’s contents. I usually start by using Adobe’s automatic tagging feature. After the tags are generated, I check and make sure they match the document. Then, I delete any incorrect tags and replace them with accurate tags.

3. Add Alt Text

Next, add alt text to every figure. Alt Text is a short, simple description of what the image is. This allows users who access the document with a screen reader to understand what images are in your PDF. Every figure in a PDF will need its own alt text. Keep in mind that if you have a PDF with a list with bullet points, each bullet point will also need its own alt text.

4. Check Logical Reading Order

For each page in the PDF, check that the listed reading order is correct. Sometimes, the software will misunderstand the document, and want to read the page in a different order. For example, it might want to read a paragraph before a heading. On the side of the screen is a menu that lists each piece of content on a page with a number. Simply click and drag each number to the correct place so that the page is read in order.

5. Check for PDF Accessibility

Once you think everything is correct, you can check that the PDF is accessible with Adobe Acrobat Pro’s Check for Accessibility option. This will give you a large set of standards, and make sure that each standard is met. If there are any issues, those will be in bold. Clicking on the issue will define it, and tell you what specific content needs to be adjusted. For example, if an image does not have alt text, or part of the document is not tagged, it will let you know. The test for color contrast and the test for logical reading order will need to be checked manually.

Depending on how much needs to be changed, you might need to check and re-check the PDF for accessibility a few times before you meet all of the standards. Once everything has passed, your PDF is accessible.

By making these adjustments, you can ensure that your PDF is accessible for patrons to access on your website. Along with following the rest of W3C’s Guidelines for Accessibility, you can make sure all of your patrons will be able to make the most of your department’s site.

Ann Baillie (she/her/hers) is the Youth Services Assistant Manager at the Alsip-Merrionette Park Public Library in Alsip, Illinois. She is a past-manager of the Illinois Library Association’s Youth Services Forum. Her main interests are the connection between Readers’ Advisory and technology, and how libraries can use technology to better reach patrons.

This post addresses ALSC Core Competencies I. Commitment to Client Group and VI. Administrative and Management Skills.

The post Make a Difference with Web Accessibility: Adding PDF Accessibility Tags appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 As youth librarians, we want our services to be accessible to all of our patrons. We use visual schedules in our programs, and provide patrons with access to accessible technology. Our websites should be accessible, too. Depending on how your library controls its website, you may even have a built-in accessibility checker to make sure each webpage meets accessibility standards. I was updating a webpage when my library’s built-in accessibility checker marked a PDF File as a spot that needed to be updated. It explained that the file needed accessibility tags. Accessibility tags make a PDF accessible to patrons using screen readers. By adding these tags, a PDF can align with the W3C’s  Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. If you upload PDFs to your library’s website, such as a programming brochure or book lists, here are some tips to make your PDF Accessible. 1. Design the PDF with Contrasting Colors While…
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