Thoughts and reflections on the RNIB/CPI Accessible Publishing Conference
Writing a New Chapter of Inclusion – by Emily Carter and Justin Clark
On the 17th September 2026, Emily Carter (University of Southampton Press) and Justin Clark (LSE Press) both attended the Accessible Publishing Conference, Writing a New Chapter of Inclusion, organised by RNIB and CPI Books in London. Bringing together publishers, authors, distributors and accessibility organisations, the event explored how decisions made throughout the publishing process can impact accessibility and the experience of reading.
Our different perspectives, from the developing University of Southampton Press and the more established LSE Press, helped us to explore and reflect on how accessibility can be built into publishing workflows from the onset and continually improved. For us, genuinely open publishing goes beyond compliance: it gives readers choice, agency, and equitable access. This post shares our individual reflections and key takeaways from what was an engaging and energising day in North London.
Why publishers must begin with readers.
Accessible publishing asks us to move beyond a single, general idea of the reader. Readers engage with books in diverse ways, using a range of formats, devices, and assistive technologies to access content, including braille keyboards and screen readers. The conference introduced examples from Every Cherry of adaptive texts, like symbol-supported text, where symbols accompany or represent words, and sensory approaches that create reading experiences through touch and other senses which challenged us to think more broadly about what reading can look like.
This shifted our thinking beyond the creation of accessible formats towards a broader consideration of readers’ different experiences, needs, and choices. It also challenged us to think about how easily publishing can privilege the author experience over that of the reader. Meaningful accessibility requires us to listen to disabled readers; understand the barriers they encounter and use those experiences to shape our decisions. Whatever the size of the press, we should be asking: Who are we currently serving through our content? Can they access it in ways that work for them? Who might be excluded, and what are we going to do about it?
Why accessibility is a shared responsibility.
No single person or organisation can make publishing accessible alone. Authors, editors, designers, platform providers, printers, and distributors all individually and collectively influence whether a book can be discovered, navigated, and read accessibly. The two sessions on Removing Barriers through Accessible Design particularly brought this home for us. Hearing about the impact of different design decisions and accessible formats like audiobooks made us think more broadly about the people, organisations and systems that shape the accessibility of a publication.
If accessibility is a shared responsibility, it needs to be considered by everyone involved and at every stage of publishing, from creating content and collaborating with suppliers to choosing the formats, systems, and services we use. Building accessibility into the entire publishing lifecycle helps to avoid blind spots and ensures that accessibility is considered both now and as technologies and publishing practices evolve.
For university presses, the practical takeaway is to look beyond the publication itself and ask: Where does responsibility for accessibility sit within our workflows? Are we considering it when working with suppliers and choosing systems? And does everyone involved understand the part they play?
Practical measures – why metadata matters to accessibility.
Creating accessible content is only part of the picture. Readers also need to know what accessibility features a publication offers, and where there may still be limitations. This made us think more carefully about the role of accessibility metadata. It is not simply technical information, but a way of supporting transparency, discoverability, and informed choice.
The discussion of Nielsen IQ Book Data highlighted how ONIX metadata can communicate the accessibility features and formats a publication offers, as well as any known limitations or hazards. Implementing accessibility metadata is a core aspect of meeting our commitments to open access and transparency as publishers. By opening up not only free access but access to all readers. When we are truly transparent about the accessibility of our content it gives readers greater agency – accessibility metadata can help readers identify content that works for them without placing the burden on them to ask. It also helps libraries and other HE institutions to make informed decisions about the resources they select for their catalogues. We should consider: Are we giving readers enough information to understand whether our publications will meet their accessibility needs before they access them?
Closing thoughts
This was an eye-opening conference, with fabulous energy and tangible passion for the subject from all those who spoke. By ensuring the line-up included many speakers with direct experience of the accessibility issues discussed, the organisers gave the event an authenticity and impact that is not always present at conferences or panels on accessibility. The genuine stories we heard, told by those who have been personally affected by historical accessibility issues in publishing, were thought-provoking and reinforced the importance of meaningful action on accessibility.
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