Libraries are supposed to be the gold standard for information access. We are told they are “quiet spaces” for focus and learning. But the moment you visit a library’s website, that promise is broken. So why are our library websites so “loud”? Look at almost any library websites today and you’ll find them: auto-playing banners, […]
The Library Bookshelves WordPress plugin is a popular tool used by thousands of libraries to create book carousels and virtual displays. If your library currently uses this plugin, you may be unknowingly exposing your patrons and your website to serious cyberattacks due to critical, unpatched vulnerabilities discovered in September 2025. Recent security research (2024–2025) has […]
While testing the websites of many public libraries, a deeply troubling pattern keeps appearing. Libraries are publishing accessibility statements claiming their websites are accessible, regularly audited, and supported by ongoing staff training. In reality, significant accessibility barriers remain across these sites, in their digital documents, and in the social media they publish. Image slideshows that […]
Building and maintaining an accessible website is a legal and civil-rights requirement for public libraries. While full WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance may be phased in over upcoming years in some jurisdictions, the accessibility obligations under ADA Title II and Section 504 are already in effect. Failing to follow recognized standards, or relying solely on […]
1. The website must work with keyboard only All content and functionality must be usable with the Tab, Arrow, and Enter keys. Every link, button, menu, form, and feature must operate without a mouse. Manual testing by an accessibility expert is required to guarantee that the website meets this critical accessibility requirement. If any part […]
In April 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took enforcement action against accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd., ordering the companies to pay one million dollars for deceptive claims that their accessibility widget could make any website fully compliant with accessibility standards. The FTC complaint (File No. 2223156) describes how accessiBe’s accessWidget failed to correct essential […]
The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) recently issued guidance advising state agencies against the use of accessibility overlays and widgets on their websites. These tools, often marketed as quick fixes to make sites compliant, have been widely criticized by people with disabilities and accessibility experts for creating more barriers than they remove. DoIT’s […]
In April 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an enforcement action against the accessibility software company accessiBe, ordering it to pay one million dollars for making false and misleading claims about its automated accessibility tool, accessWidget. The ruling marks a turning point in the ongoing debate over the use of automated overlays and widgets […]
More than three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, digital inclusion is still far from achieved. The newly released 2025 WebAIM Million Report found that only 5.2 percent of the top one million websites meet basic accessibility standards. The remaining 94.8 percent fail to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the recognized […]
The National Federation of the Blind has issued a strong letter supporting the FTC’s proposed consent order regarding accessiBe’s misleading accessibility claims. The message is clear. Accessibility overlays and one line of code solutions do not provide real WCAG compliance, and exaggerated claims actively harm people with disabilities. Read full letter: https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/comments-federal-trade-commission-regarding-accessibe For public entities […]