[Nfb-web] Volunteers Needed for Archival Website Research Study

[Kresmer, Anna]

Lisa Snider, an archival student and web-accessibility expert, is looking for volunteers for a website usability study. Information about the study is below. If you are interested in participating, you can contact her directly at lsnider at interchange.ubc.ca<mailto:lsnider at interchange.ubc.ca> or at (604) 347-5913.
Thank you,
Anna K. Kresmer, MSLS
Archivist
Jacobus tenBroek Library
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
200 East Wells Street
at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2310
Email: akresmer at nfb.org

Check out the JtB Library's new archives and manuscripts database, The Cane Tip!
www.nfb.org/thecanetip<http://www.nfb.org/thecanetip>
Volunteers Needed for Archival Website Research Study
The Study:
We are conducting a research study to find out how accessible and usable Canadian archival websites are for users with and without disabilities.
The Goal:
The goal of this study is to inform archivists about potential accessibility and usability barriers present on archival websites, and educate them on how to improve websites for all viewers. As well, this study will compare the experiences of users with disabilities to those from users without disabilities, in order to chart whether there are similarities or differences in the barriers found.
Volunteers Needed:
*         We are looking for volunteers, who self identify as either disabled or non-disabled, to become website testers for this study.
*         For those identifying as disabled, we would value the input of volunteers with visual disabilities (including blind, low vision, colour blind, etc.), physical disabilities (includes those who have limited or no use of arms or hands, etc.), cognitive/neurological/learning disabilities (includes those with autism, dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, etc.), auditory disabilities (deaf and hard of hearing) and/or multiple disabilities.
*         Volunteers can live anywhere in the world, have any level of computer/internet experience and they don't need any experience using an archives.
*         Volunteers must be over the age of majority in their home country, and be able to legally consent to the study.
*         The identity of volunteers will be kept confidential and will never be revealed in the study or in articles, publications, etc.
What Volunteers Will Do:
*         Volunteers will be asked to complete a specific task on a Canadian archival website, and then they will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire about their experience on that site. There will be five different websites tested in this study, and volunteers may stop participating in the study at any time.
*         Volunteers may need to devote from 2.5 to 5 hours in total to this research study. This time will be spread out, and it will not be all at one sitting.
*         Regrettably, there is no compensation for volunteers. However, your help will aid in making websites more accessible!
*         It is hoped that all website testing will be completed by the end of July, if possible.
Interested in Being a Volunteer?:
If you would like to volunteer please contact Lisa Snider, the Co-Investigator of the research study, atlsnider at interchange.ubc.ca<mailto:lsnider at interchange.ubc.ca> or at (604) 347-5913.
Forward this to Others/Listservs:
Please forward this email and/or letter to listservs, and to anyone who might be interested in becoming a volunteer for this research study. Volunteers can come from any walk of life and any country.
About The Research Study Investigators
Lisa Snider is the Co-Investigator of the Canadian Archival Website Accessibility Research Study. She is finishing her Dual Master of Archival Studies & Master of Library and Information Studies (MAS/MLIS) degrees at the University of British Columbia, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Lisa has also been a professional web developer for over 16 years, and for the last 13 years has had a great interest in website accessibility issues.
Rick Kopak is Lisa's supervisor and Co-Investigator of this study. He is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.