Creating Accessible Documents

This document was created (January 10, 2023) to help BC Libraries Cooperative develop accessible documents, and is being shared here as a resource for when LibPress creates documents as PDFs for their LibPress sites.

Checklist 

  • Ensure that you’ve formatted your document using the styles options. 
  • Use style options to make any changes to the font and structure of your document.  
  • Ensure that you’ve added headings to your document. 
  • Use the styles pane to define your text’s headings (levels 1-9), following the rule of hierarchy.  
  • Use accessible font attributes (make any changes using the document styles option). 
  • Use a larger font size (12 points minimum). 
  • Use a sans-serif font (like Arial or Verdana). 
  • Use dark font on a light background (or vice versa).  
  • Align-left your text.  
  • Limit or avoid the use of all caps.  
  • Ensure that your hyperlinks are informative and describe where they will take users.  
  • Edit any links that use “click here,” “read more,” etc. 
  • If your document is a physical handout, use the simplest version of the URL you can.  
  • Correctly format lists in your document. 
  • Do not create lists manually (or on your own). Use the bullets or numbering options in the toolbar.  
  • Make your tables accessible.  
  • Only use tables when you have data that needs to be presented in that format (don’t create page layouts with tables).  
  • Define the header row. 
  • Do not use colour only to convey meaning. 
  • Do not leave any cells, rows, or columns empty (add N/A or a dash to empty cells). 
  • Include a caption and title for your table to provide more information and explain what the table is for.  
  • Do not merge or split table cells.  
  • Add alt text and captions to images, gifs, charts, etc.  
  • Define the language of your document and/or chunks of text that are in a different language. 
  • Consider the colour contrast ratio in your document. 
  • Check to ensure your document is accessible! 
  • Use this checklist and, if working in Word, the Microsoft accessibility checker. 

  For more information, go to the Accessible Libraries Checklist: Creating Accessible Documents training resource.