Web Accessibility of Egyptian Academic Libraries' Websites: An Evaluation Study based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2

Libraries have a long history of providing accessible services and resources to meet the needs of various types of users through their physical locations. However, with technological advancements, they are now required to transfer their services and collections to the virtual environment in a way that is accessible to all users—regardless of their abilities and skills. Therefore, these websites must adhere to the principles of universal design, ensuring that all users can access, perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the published content smoothly and easily. This study aims to evaluate the current status of Egyptian academic library websites (governmental, non-profit, and private) by exploring their levels of web accessibility, and then highlight the challenges and opportunities facing these websites. The study adopted a descriptive methodology using both survey and analytical approaches to identify and evaluate the websites of Egyptian academic libraries based on the WCAG 2.2 guidelines using automated tools and manual analysis.
Findings: Egyptian academic library websites have not yet reached an acceptable level of web accessibility. All four accessibility principles of WCAG 2.2 were violated across all studied websites. The most violated principle was "Perceivable; 60%", followed by "Operable; 29%", "Understandable; 8%", and finally, "Robust; 3%". The most frequently recurring issues across the studied websites included: 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A), 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A), and 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (AA). Based on these findings, the study provides a set of recommendations to improve web accessibility levels in Egyptian academic libraries’ websites and catalogs.