LIBER Copyright and Legal Matters Working Group – EU Accessibility Act & Research Libraries

The EU Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into effect on 28th June 2025 to enhance accessibility across the EU.  While similar to obligations already exist for public sector bodies, this EU regulation will mean that commercial products and services will be required to be accessible to those with disabilities. There are implications for Research Libraries as this regulation covers books, journals, and other online content as well as library technologies and devices.

This session, organised by the LIBER Copyright & Legal Matters Working Group, will cover the key aspects of the EAA, its implications for the library sector, and the benefits for individuals with disabilities, providing valuable insights and information to help you navigate the EAA.

Attendees will gain an overview of the legal requirements, and the importance of accessibility in fostering inclusivity.   

Jennifer Curry Jahnke, Digital Accessibility Manager at the University of Birmingham, will open the session with an overview of the EU Accessibility Act and its legal impact on libraries. Simon Holt (Senior Product Manager, Content Accessibility, Elsevier) and Ted Gies (UX and Accessibility Program Manager, Elsevier) will then talk us through their work to ensure library content and systems are usable for all.

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Speakers

Jennifer Curry Jahnke is an award-winning professor and academic researcher and consultant with academic institutions and organizations across the globe. As a digital accessibility expert, Jennifer is an active member of legislative committees, an international speaker, and is a certified member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). Jennifer is currently the Manager of Digital Accessibility at the University of Birmingham, and the Principal Educator with AccessibilityConsulting.ca.

Simon Holt is Senior Product Manager for Content Accessibility at Elsevier, where he leads work making books, journals, video and audio accessible to people with disabilities. As a sight impaired person himself, accessibility is important to him personally as well as professionally. He has worked in scholarly publishing for over 15 years, working with authors and editors, and is involved in several industry initiatives including serving as a Director for the Society of Scholarly Publishing, a member of an Advisory Board for the Royal National Institute for Blind People and as a Trustee for the sight-loss charity MyVision Oxfordshire. He lives in Oxford, UK.

Ted Gies leads the Digital Accessibility Team at Elsevier and chairs the RELX Corporate Responsibility Accessibility Objectives and Policy Committee. Ted has worked across RELX companies for over 25 years as a UX designer, researcher, and global accessibility authority. He developed an accessibility champions and belting training program used by over 70 product development teams.  Fascinated by easy to use and barrier free information in the STEM field, his current projects include a company maturity model and accessible data visualizations. Ted collaborates with many universities, disability communities, and IT vendors on producing more inclusive digital content for the web.  He has a patent award on a file naming system user interface and has published in several scholarly journals.

LIBER is committed to creating events where everyone can participate in an inclusive, respectful, and safe environment that strengthens collaboration, promotes intellectual freedom, and supports open dialogue and debate. By attending or being involved in any LIBER event, participants agree to abide by the LIBER Code of Conduct.