EBSCO Information Services Partners with The Carroll Center for the Blind to Advance User Research and Design

EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) and The Carroll Center for the Blind today announced a partnership in which the two organizations will work together to improve and enhance the experience across EBSCO products for users with a varying array of disabilities. The Carroll Center for the Blind, based in Newton, Massachusetts, offers a wide range of comprehensive services for the blind and visually impaired at all ages and all stages of vision loss.

The announcement coincides with Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2019, a community-powered effort to advance digital accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities.

The Carroll Center will work with EBSCO to support the company’s existing design and user research processes, while facilitating user testing and providing support for best practices in accessibility. The Carroll Center’s Accessibility Services team offers technical and human resources which support a wide array of vision impairment ranging from low vision to complete blindness. EBSCO’s Accessibility team focuses on ensuring that all products are accessible, maintaining a positive experience for all users.

EBSCO Senior Vice President of Product Management Tim Lull says this partnership was formed through a thoughtful, informed exploration of EBSCO’s user research and design needs as the company continues to enhance existing products, as well as develop new software solutions. “One of EBSCO’s main goals is to provide access to relevant and reliable information when, where and how people need it, regardless of any accessibility challenges. Our partnership with The Carroll Center will significantly impact our commitment to continuous improvement of our products and services to meet the needs of all our customers and users.”

Bruce Howell, Accessibility Services Manager at The Carroll Center for the Blind, said the partnership with EBSCO’s user experience designers will ensure that people with vision impairment and other disabilities can successfully access and use EBSCO online products. “Whenever The Carroll Center brings its accessibility expertise and knowledge of blindness and vision impairment to an innovative, industry-leading company like EBSCO, we know we will be ensuring greater access to information and research materials for a wider body of current and potential product users. Collaborating on projects like this supports both of our missions to provide equal access to important digital learning tools and resources.”

For more information about EBSCO’s commitment to accessibility, visit www.ebsco.com/technology/accessibility. For more information on The Carroll Center for the Blind, visit www.carroll.org.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 11,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 1,000,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.

About The Carroll Center for the Blind
Established in 1936, The Carroll Center for the Blind empowers those who are blind and visually impaired to achieve independence and to lead a fulfilling life. The nonprofit organization provides services for individuals of all ages and all stages of vision loss, including vision rehabilitation services, vocational and transition programs, assistive technology training, educational support, services for seniors, and an optical shop. For more information, visit www.carroll.org.

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