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360 Link Accessibility Statement

All researchers, regardless of ability, need access to scholarly information. ProQuest and Ex Libris are committed to providing all our users with a fully accessible experience for research, teaching and learning.

At ProQuest, we make every effort to ensure that our platforms – including 360 Link – can be used by everyone. 360 Link aims to meet Level A and Level AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act for features and functions.

Accessibility features and gaps

Users of 360 Link should be able to:

  • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard.
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader.
  • use descriptive headings and labels to understand the content
  • zoom in up to 200% using browser tools without text spilling off screen.
  • read most the content on the site without requiring tools for increasing color contrast

There may be some parts of this website that are not fully accessible:

  • there are some cases where labels and headings are missing
  • skip links for skipping repetitive content are not available
  • errors on forms are not always communicated in an accessible manner
  • the open/closed status of certain elements is not communicated in an accessible manner
  • a small number of elements do not meet minimum color contrast standards.

If you have a disability and need to make your computer, tablet or other device easier to use, AbilityNet is a recommended resource. We also recommend browsing free add-ons offered for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Technical Information about this site’s accessibility

360 Link has been reviewed in accordance with:

  • Level A and Level AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)
  • Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act for features and functions.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No.2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance level and report

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines v2.0 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below. We plan for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance with minimal exceptions by 2020 H2.

Access the full Accessibility Compliance Report (VPAT 2.4 and WCAG 2.1) for 360 Link.

Accessibility of this platform

Keyboard-only navigation

You should be able to navigate most of the 360 Link site with a just keyboard. Please note that there are two known issues with keyboard-only navigation:

  • Currently there is no way to skip the repetitive information in the sidebar.
  • Close and hide sidebar controls are not accessible with keyboard.

Headings and page titles

Most sections of the site are structured with page titles and headings that can be used to navigate and understand the information on the page. Please note the following exceptions:

  • Journal details page is missing a meaningful page title
  • Journal details page is missing section headings
  • Sidebar is missing section headings

Missing labels

Labels have been included on form elements throughout the product, except in the following cases where labels are missing:

  • Close and hide sidebar controls
  • Citation style dropdown
  • Export options radio buttons
  • Journal details page
    • Ex Libris logo link
    • The “journal information” link (the arrow icon)
    • The “Still need help” link (the arrow icon)

In the above cases, while accessible labels are missing, there is descriptive text that appears before these controls that can help you understand their purpose.

Understanding form errors

There are several cases where errors may be encountered in forms throughout the product. In some cases, these errors are not clear, or error messages are not fully accessible:

  • Email form
    • Required fields are not semantically marked as required
    • Email form error message is displayed visually but invalid fields are not announced to assistive technologies
  • Request via Interlibrary loan form has no error validation (e.g. email)
  • Report a problem has no error validation (e.g. email)

Status of elements on the page

There are a number of controls within 360 Link that show and hide information. While this helps sighted users avoid information overload, the status of these controls is not always communicated to assistive technologies like screen readers. Please note that:

  • Open/closed state of collapsible sections (Journal details, Journal coverage, Still need help) is not provided
  • Selected/unselected tab (Email/Export) status is not provided
  • Open/closed state of Report a problem form is not provided
  • Open/closed state of Request via interlibrary loan is not provided

Color contrast

While most text throughout 360 Link meets minimum color contrast standards, but there are cases where text does not have enough contrast with the background color:

  • Additional details links has low contrast
  • Journal details – all links have low contrast

If color contrast is a concern for you, we recommend utilizing one of the free browser plugins that can increase text/background color contrast, such as the High Contrast extension for Google Chrome.

Accessibility Testing

The accessibility of 360 Link is a continual effort at ProQuest and Ex Libris. Accessibility standards are built into our design, and style guides and included as part of requirements in our software development and quality assurance pipeline.

360 Link code is checked for accessibility using a range of automated and manual checks including but not limited to:

  • Color Contrast Analyzer provided by WebAIM
  • Deque aXe accessibility testing tool
  • High Contrast Chrome extension
  • Keyboard-access manual testing and assessment
  • WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation tool) provided by WebAIM
  • NVDA with Windows
  • VoiceOver with Mac

360 Link is tested on the latest version Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and Edge, and on devices including Mac and Windows computers, and Android and iOS devices.

What We’re Doing to Improve Accessibility

Making content accessible is an ongoing effort at ProQuest. We’re committed to working with the community to ensure we continue to meet our customers’ needs. A list of our ongoing efforts includes:

  • Testing with users of all abilities
  • The ProQuest Accessibility Council: a team of stakeholders working to increase accessibility resources and capabilities
  • Pursuing partnerships with colleges, universities and other institutions to assist us in reviewing and updating our accessibility standards
  • Supporting certifications for our employees
  • Consulting with, and performing audits through, accessibility experts such as Deque

Support and feedback

If you have difficulty accessing specific ProQuest content or features with adaptive technology after trying the workarounds suggested in this statement, you can contact us using the links provided below. Our support services will respond within three days and are available to accommodate the communication needs of end users with disabilities. We will work with you to identify the best option for remediation, subject to content licensing restrictions and technical capability. 

Online: Ex Libris Support Portal

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This accessibility statement was prepared on September 10, 2020. It was last updated on March 27, 2024.

The website was last tested on January 19, 2024. The test was carried out internally at ProQuest.

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