This project explores accessibility at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art through the implementation of alternative text (alt text) for artworks.

We developed a structured workflow to guide the writing process, emphasizing clarity, conciseness, and contextual relevance. Key considerations included using gender-neutral language, addressing race and age only when contextually appropriate, and handling nudity or abstraction with sensitivity and objectivity.

Through processing, we encountered challenges such as describing minimal or abstract works and navigating gaps in contextual knowledge. This experience helped us develop skills in visual analysis, accessibility awareness, and effective descriptive writing.

Beyond a technical task, we view alt text as a meaningful way to promote equity and inclusion in museum spaces, ensuring that the experience of art is accessible to all.

Azka Qasim

Azka Qasim

Freddy Thompson

Freddy Thompson

Freddy Thompson (he/him and she/her) is a Rare Books and Special Collections librarian with a narrow focus on medieval European materials and a broad interest in the history of the written word. Having completed the Advanced Certificate in Archives as part of his MSLIS program, Freddy seeks to contribute to the wide range of conservation and preservation practices underway in the GLAM sector, including physical housing and collections management, reparative cataloguing, repatriation and restitution, and digitization.
Grace Croken

Grace Croken

Grace Croken (she/her/hers) is an information professional and researcher pursuing her MS in Library and Information Science from Pratt Institue. She is driven by her commitment to information equity and the belief that access to knowledge should be a universal right. Her academic interests center on accessibility and user needs, gaps in Queer collections, and exploring how libraries can challenge elitist and exclusionary traditions in knowledge organization.
Grace Croken

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