As a condition of membership, Orbis Cascade Alliance institutions participate in a shared integrated library system (“SILS”) that includes a search interface for library users, and also collectively license electronic resources designated as shared content (“Shared Ebook Program”). These “all-in” commitments are designated and implemented at the direction of the Alliance Board of Directors.

In licensing and managing these web applications and content on behalf of member institutions, the Alliance has implemented systematic processes and requirements for oversight of vendors’ compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II and Health & Human Services (HHS) Section 504 web content accessibility regulations.

The Alliance is actively working with its vendors for these programs to document ongoing progress toward meeting the updated ADA Title II and HHS Section 504 requirements.

Accessibility Requirements in Licensing

With the input of member institutions, the Alliance has established Licensing Best Practices, which guide vendor negotiations and agreements. More specifically, the Alliance best practices call for contractual language that requires:

• Vendor compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act; and State Laws regarding accessibility, by supporting assistive software or devices in compliance with guidelines such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA or higher;
• Vendor accessibility modifications for any non-compliant application or content, or the ability of Alliance members to modify the application or content as needed to provide equivalent access to users with disabilities where possible;
• Vendors to provide current completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) and/or equivalent conformance reports when available; and
• Vendors, to the extent possible, to provide indemnification against claims related to their failure to maintain ADA compliance.

When approving all-in commitments on behalf of the Alliance, the Board of Directors has final authority with regard to accessibility terms and requirements. As new agreements for applications or content are considered (on a multi-year schedule for the SILS and on an annual basis for the Shared Ebook program), the Board may request modifications to agreement terms as needed to align with members’ accessibility requirements.

Notifications of Non-Compliance and Accessibility Roadmap Requests

Through its Shared Content & Technical Services, Diversity & User Experience, and Systems programs, the Alliance provides regular opportunities for member library staff to communicate with vendors, both directly and through Alliance program managers. Accessibility compliance issues are registered through these established communication channels, and timelines/roadmaps for compliance requested as needed.
To aid in their local review of shared web applications and content, Alliance members are directly supported through ongoing Alliance professional development and accessibility resource creation, such as the Accessibility Standing Group’s Accessibility Toolkit, the Primo Release Testing Standing Group’s evaluation of new functionality, and the Ebook Standing Group’s assessments of the Shared Ebook Program content. At any time, members may also request accessibility documentation (e.g. VPATs) provided by vendors to the Alliance.

Actions in Response to Ongoing Non-Compliance

The Board of Directors will determine the appropriate actions in response to any ongoing accessibility-related non-compliance in the Alliance’s all-in web applications and content. This may include documented performance requirements and timelines for vendors, non-renewal of contracts, or other actions as possible/appropriate. Member institutions with compliance complaints will be notified of the status of any related Board deliberations and actions.

Specific to the Shared Ebook Program, in the case of specific compliance complaints from an individual member institution, the Alliance central staff can work with the member and relevant vendors to modify or remove access to that implicated content collection for that institution.

Documentation for Current All-In Web Applications and Content

Product	Documentation
Ex Libris Alma (SILS)	Alma Accessibility Conformance Report
Ex Libris Primo (SILS)	PrimoVE Accessibility Conformance Report PrimoVE Accessibility Statement (2025)
Academic Video Online (AVON)	Alexander Street Video Platform Conformance Report Alexander Street Video Platform Accessibility Roadmap
Academic Complete (ProQuest)	Ebook Central Conformance Report (Web) Ebook Central Conformance Report (Reader App MacOS) Ebook Central Conformance Report (Reader App Windows) Ebook Central Conformance Report (Reader App Android) Ebook Central Conformance Report (Reader App iOS)
Oxford University Press	Oxford University Press Accessibility Statement and VPAT
Wiley	Wiley Online Library Conformance Report