Clarivate and Benetech expand collaboration to improve library accessibility
Clarivate has announced an expanded collaboration with nonprofit accessibility specialist Benetech, aimed at improving access to information for library users with disabilities.
The initiative brings together Clarivate’s library software and content solutions with Benetech’s accessibility expertise, including its Bookshare platform, to help academic and public libraries better connect users with accessible content and services.
The partners said the collaboration is designed to address ongoing challenges faced by people with print disabilities, who can encounter difficulties discovering accessible materials or navigating library systems independently despite the availability of accessible content and services.
According to Clarivate, the collaboration will focus on helping libraries reduce barriers to discovering accessible resources, integrate accessibility more effectively into existing workflows and support inclusive learning, research and reading experiences without increasing operational complexity.
A key element of the initiative is improving access to Bookshare, which provides more than 1.4 million titles in accessible formats and serves people with print disabilities in more than 50 countries and regions.
The organisations said they are working to make Bookshare more visible within library environments through clearer discovery pathways, greater awareness and enhanced guidance for both library staff and users.
For libraries, the collaboration is aimed at providing more straightforward ways of connecting eligible users to Bookshare’s collection, reduce friction between content discovery and access, and strengthen libraries’ role in supporting accessibility services.
The organisations also highlighted the importance of accessibility throughout the wider scholarly and publishing ecosystem. As part of the collaboration, Clarivate and Benetech plan to promote awareness of accessibility best practices among content providers and publishers, with a focus on encouraging born-accessible content and accessibility considerations earlier in the publishing workflow.
The initiative reflects growing attention across the information and publishing sectors on improving accessibility in response to evolving user expectations and regulatory requirements.
Clarivate said: “This collaboration reflects a shared belief that accessibility is a set of choices made repeatedly, across systems, teams, and partners. By combining Benetech’s accessibility leadership with Clarivate’s platforms, content partnerships and global reach, we are focused on delivering meaningful, scalable improvements that help academic and public libraries serve all users more effectively.”