When planning an exhibit, it’s important to make it as accessible as possible by engaging multiple senses. Not only would this help people who may have different visual, aural, or physical abilities, but it also creates more interesting and engaging exhibits for everyone.
Printed Labels
- Items on display and their labels should be visible for a seated person. If labels or materials are stored on a flat surface, consider angling them for better visibility. Be careful to not place labels too high on the display.
- Make sure the font is no less than 18 point large.
- Be aware of color combinations that might not contrast enough.
- Use a simple font, such as Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Garamond, Bookman, or Palatino. More characteristic fonts may be used for titles, but should be avoided for the text block.
- Never place text over a patterned background, it will be too difficult to read.
- Use clear and straightforward language.
Audio Components
- The Special Collections exhibit area has a sound dome. When designing exhibits for this space, creatively incorporate elements from various collections, including Vincent Voice Library holdings and musical recordings.
- Whenever spoken word is used, please prepare a written transcript. For guidance on creating a transcript, please view the Exhibit Audio Best Practices and Guidelines (PDF) created by Joshua Sanchez.
- It's recommended that the sound clip be brief (no more than 2 or 3 minutes at a maximum).
Digital Exhibits
- Creating a digital component to the exhibit (within copyright compliance) can open it to a global audience and be a lasting educational resource beyond when the physical exhibit ends. With text that can be read by screen readers and alt-text for images, a digital component can provide a baseline of accessibility to an exhibit otherwise inaccessible to blind and low-vision users.
- Creating a (ideally tactile) QR code sign at the exhibit enables viewers with smartphones to easily link to the digital content - although this depends on whether the person has the technology and knowledge of utilizing QR codes.
- The exhibit curator could create a LibGuide with a brief narrative and couple of images, or, depending on the profile of the exhibit, a dedicated web page could be created in partnership with web services and graphic services. Because of the intensive demands on those units, this option should be pursued judiciously. Please be in touch with Anita Ezzo for further information.
