Abstract

This study aims to propose institutional strategies for incorporating accessibility standards into the e-book procurement process in libraries to ensure the information access rights of persons with disabilities. To this end, procurement documents from Korean libraries were analyzed, and relevant legislation and practical cases from the United States, Canada, and the European Union were reviewed. The findings indicate that e-book services are composed of a triadic structure— platforms, content, and viewers—which requires an integrated approach to satisfy accessibility standards across all components. Accordingly, the study presents a “Guideline for Accessible E-book Procurement Contracts” to help libraries formally include accessibility clauses in Request for Proposals, Statements of Work, and contracts. It also develops a “Korean Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (K-VPAT)” that enables vendors to self-assess and submit their compliance levels during the procurement process. Furthermore, the study proposes additional technical and operational improvement measures, including the implementation of an e-book accessibility certification system linked to procurement contracts, the standardization and presentation strategies of accessibility metadata, the enhancement of librarians’ expertise, and the establishment of post-evaluation systems based on user feedback. This study contributes to establishing a practical foundation for libraries to realize the information access rights of persons with disabilities by systematically integrating accessibility criteria throughout the entire e-book procurement process.