Accessibility in the Archives Through Firsthand Perspectives of Disabled Students

Every archive should strive to make all patrons feel welcome to do research, whether they are using physical collections in a reading room or virtually accessing online content. To better understand the needs of patrons with disabilities who utilize the Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections (CWUASC), an accessibility audit of the physical space and select digital collections was conducted in spring 2022 by two disabled students recruited by the university’s Disability Services office. Both students were hired to draw from their lived experience with disabilities to complete a survey and provide detailed feedback for improvement via remote and in-person modalities across six weeks. The findings will be used to make short-term and long-term improvements as well as help make a compelling case for requesting funding for larger upgrades within the library. This presentation will share the open-access resources used to create the accessibility audit, how to recruit students who identify as disabled, and discuss the challenges and benefits of this approach.