Recognizing Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Fostering Digital Inclusion
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), held annually on the third Thursday in May, promotes digital access and inclusion for the over one billion people worldwide with disabilities. GAAD highlights the importance of creating equitable and innovative digital experiences for all users.
Inclusive Digital Resources
The UCC Library supports digital inclusion through tools and platforms designed with accessibility in mind:
- Niche Academy: offers a variety of instructional video tutorials, including Windows Basics, all featuring closed captioning to support users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Films on Demand: provides accessible educational videos such as a Yoga for Everybody video created with diverse user needs in mind.
- Gale One File: offers additional accessibility tools and features, helping all users interact with academic content in ways that work best for them.
These are just a few of the many resources available that reflect our ongoing effort to make digital learning environments more usable and effective for everyone.
Library Services that Support Accessibility
The UCC Library provides a comprehensive array of services to ensure that students, faculty, and staff with disabilities can fully engage with our resources and facilities. These include:
- Alternative Text Formats: Access to materials in large print, audio, or digital formats.
- Assistive Technologies: Availability of specialized software and devices to support users with visual, auditory, or physical disabilities.
- Private Study Spaces: Quiet areas that support focused, distraction-free learning, you can book online or at the desk.
- Adaptive Equipment: tools such as ergonomic keyboards, mobility aids, and other assistive devices.
These services are provided in partnership with the UCC Office for Accessibility Services, and students are encouraged to reach out early to explore how accommodations can enhance their academic experience.
Digital Accessibility and Universal Design
The UCC Library also leads initiatives to promote digital accessibility and universal design across campus. The Digital Accessibility Guide serves as a valuable resource for students, staff, and faculty. It includes:
- Best Practices for Accessible Content: guidelines for designing documents, websites, and multimedia that are inclusive and user friendly.
- Assistive Technology Information: a breakdown of tools that help individuals access and interact with digital content.
- Training and Educational Resources: Materials to help faculty and staff understand digital accessibility standards and integrate them into their work.
We encourage everyone to explore these tools and consider how accessible design benefits all users. By prioritizing accessibility, we contribute to a more inclusive, effective digital world. Help us on the road to accessibility.
Fresh Reads
Discover What's New This Summer!
Our New Books section is overflowing with fresh reads just in time for your summer adventures! We've recently added over 100 new titles, and there are more on the way.
Whether you're looking to dive into a gripping novel, learn something new with a thought-provoking nonfiction title, or relax with a beautifully illustrated graphic novel — we've got something for everyone. Our new arrivals include:
Fiction – The Vegetarian by Han Kang is a haunting surreal novel about a woman who stops eating meat and how that decision upends her life and those around her. Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson is a fast-paced thriller about a dormant volcano in Hawaii that suddenly threatens to explode.
Non-Fiction – Explore history, science, memoirs, and more. Finding Your Style in Pastel by Jean Hirons, is a hands-on guide to pastel painting that helps artists build skills while discovering their own unique artistic voice. Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in our Schools, by Kass Minor, offers powerful insights and practical tools for educators committed to bringing joy and justice into classrooms- despite the challenges of and inequitable system.
Graphic Novels – For teens, adults, and fans of visual storytelling. We are excited to feature new takes on classic tales alongside powerful new stories in our latest collection. Fahrenheit 451, originally written by Ray Bradbury and reimagined by Tim Hamilton, following fireman Guy Montag as he begins to question a world where books are banned and burned. The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel, illustrated by Sammy Savos, tells the true story of a young Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust by hiding and finding hope through song.
Children’s Books – Perfect picks for young readers and family reading time. Jump into Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby — a funny and heartwarming tale of an unlikely friendship between a grumpy chicken and an enthusiastic worm as they learn to embrace their differences.
Be sure to stop by our New Books display and find your next favorite read. And don't forget — more books are arriving soon, so check back often!
Summer Hours
Also, don’t miss our updated summer hours:
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday-Sunday: Closed
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