The London Book Fair once again provided a platform for stimulating, insightful, and forward-thinking conversations about the state of scholarly publishing. It was fantastic to see the community come together. The smaller exhibitor area allocated to scholarly publishing did not stifle or hinder networking opportunities. Although there were fewer stands, there were still plenty of […]
Beyond the horizon: Challenges and opportunities of tomorrow
In Maverick’s 2024 trends report, we identified several factors shaping the industry’s evolution. These included the continued growth of OA adoption, the lack of resilience in the financial framework, and emerging challenges to the credibility and integrity of the scholarly record. These foundational dynamics remain influential and continue to underpin many of the key trends […]
AI Overlays: A challenge for website accessibility
In recent years, AI-powered web accessibility solutions, referred to as overlays, have become increasingly popular, marketed as quick and cost-effective ways to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These AI-based overlay products offer quick fixes for making websites accessible by optimizing for screen readers, improving keyboard […]
Accessibility compliance in Denmark and Lithuania
Maverick Affiliate Senior Associate, Will Awad has written extensively about the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and its goal of removing barriers to products, services, and infrastructure for individuals in Europe affected by disabilities. In Breaking Down Barriers: An Overview of the European Accessibility Act and Its Implementation Across the EU Countries (Ireland and Germany), Will […]
Actual Intelligence (AI) vs Artificial Intelligence (AI) in alternative text writing
In the world of digital accessibility, alternative text (alt text) for images stands out as a main and crucial element. In backlist conversion, the alt text is vital to ensure content inclusivity for people with visual impairments. Alt text is not such a tick box or a technical feature; it is the link that connects […]
Breaking Down Barriers
An Overview of the European Accessibility Act and Its Implementation Across the EU Countries (Ireland and Germany) The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU Directive 2019/882 established to improve accessibility across member states for people with disabilities. Enacted with a focus on accessibility standards throughout the European Union, the EAA’s aim is to enhance access to a […]
Accessible eBooks, intentional workflow
Digital content is increasingly coming under fire for its accessibility – or lack thereof. However, legislation in the United States, together with legislative developments in Europe, means that digital content must be usable by all people, including those with disabilities. So, time for a rethink. Businesses – in particular, publishers – are looking for ways […]
Highlights from R2R 2023
Maverick Senior Associate Jayne Marks participated in the recent R2R conference and provides her perspectives in this recap. Fully hybrid for the second year, the 2023 Researcher to Reader conference attracted speakers and delegates from around the world. The technology allowed for virtual/in-person discussions in small groups as well as participation via online chat with […]
Operationalizing DEIA in your publishing organization
The specific context of publishing is one which calls on publishers to not just improve the diversity of their workforce, but to also pay careful attention to what and how they publish. But publishers face major challenges when working to operationalize and implement the changes they need to make. Research tells us that – although […]