Expanding Access Through Digital Accessibility Training with Suffolk County Libraries

Accessibility isn’t a box to check.

It’s a standard to uphold.

In partnership with the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Avidano Digital recently delivered a hands-on digital accessibility training designed to help library professionals build clearer, more inclusive, and more resilient digital experiences, without guesswork, fluff, or performative compliance.

More than 50 library staff members from across Suffolk County joined the session, underscoring a growing commitment within public-service organizations to move beyond intention and into execution when it comes to inclusive digital communication.

Led by Accessibility Strategy and Technology Specialist Walei Sabry and Designer and our Executive Creative Director and Accessibility Specialist AJ Favors, the session—“A11y for Suffolk County Libraries”—focused on turning accessibility standards into practical, repeatable workflows teams can actually sustain. The goal wasn’t to overwhelm. It was to empower.

Participants were guided through foundational accessibility principles and shown how disciplined design and content decisions can remove barriers for people with visual, hearing, physical, and cognitive disabilities, while improving clarity and usability for everyone.

The training covered essential practices including:

• Programmatic content structure and plain language
• Accessible typography, color contrast, and keyboard navigation
• Alt text and meaningful media alternatives
• Captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions
• Testing tools that help teams identify and address accessibility gaps early—before they become liabilities

Recognizing the growing role of social media in public-service communication, the session also addressed accessible social content strategies, equipping library teams to reach broader audiences without sacrificing clarity, dignity, or compliance.

This collaboration reflects Avidano Digital’s belief that accessibility, when done right, strengthens systems, not just interfaces. By helping libraries operationalize inclusive communication across their digital ecosystems, we support broader access to information, services, and opportunity for the communities they serve.