To ensure your library website can serve all community members in the digital age, accessibility is a new challenge that library organizations must step up to. Using accessible website colors enables libraries to create an inclusive online portal where all visitors can access all the information they require and ensure compliance with ADA regulations for accessible web content.

This article explores why and how colors play a pivotal role in web content legibility, particularly for libraries, and it includes practical tips and resources to help achieve this goal.

Understanding Accessibility Guidelines for Website Colors

What Are WCAG Guidelines for Color Contrast Ratios?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the blueprint for accessible website design. According to WCAG 2.1 guidelines, color contrast ratios are a prerequisite for readability, especially for people with visual impairments. These guidelines stipulate a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text to ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors.

Why Should You Consider Color Blindness and Low Vision?

When designing color palettes for your website, it is important to understand how colors affect legibility when placed alongside each other. Color blindness affects a person’s ability to perceive color differences, so foreground and background color combinations must be easily distinguishable. Tools such as color blindness simulators can help test and refine color choices to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Website Colors

Using Colors That Are Too Similar in Hue

It is easy to get caught up in choosing visually appealing colors which can often lead to selecting colors that are too similar in hue. Focus on high-contrast color pairings to ensure content is easily distinguishable when one color is placed over another.

Neglecting to Test Color Combinations for Readability

You should always test your chosen colors for their ease of reading with tools like contrast checkers and color-blind vision simulators. WebAIM is a color contrast checker and many blindness simulators are available for different operating systems or as web browser extensions and apps. Just be sure to check that the tools conform to WCAG guidelines.

Failing to Provide Alternative Text for Color-Coded Information

If you use color to convey information, such as text overlaid over a color background, always provide alternative text or other visual cues to ensure differentiation. These visual cues include icons, symbols, and varying text styles like bold or italics.

Best Practices To Design an Accessible Color Palette

Use High-Contrast Color Combinations for Text and Background

High-contrast color pairings, such as black text on a white background, enhance readability and inclusivity.  It ensures that text stands out clearly against the background to improve legibility and enable site visitors, regardless of their requirements, to find the information they require.

Ensure That Links Are Easily Distinguishable from Surrounding Text

Links in text should be easily identifiable even without an additional color. Use underlines or bold text to distinguish links from regular text to improve site navigation for users. This helps users with color vision deficiencies and also those using monochrome displays identify links.

Incorporate Color Coding in a Way That Is Accessible to All Users

If you use color coding in your web design, supplement it with additional text labels or patterns. This helps users who are color blind or those with low vision to understand the content without relying solely on color. You can also experiment with bold and italicized website copy to improve differentiation.

Color Contrast Checkers and Color Blindness Simulators

Online contrast checkers like WebAIM are invaluable tools for verifying that your color choices meet WCAG guidelines. These tools calculate the contrast ratio between text and background colors to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.

Simulators, like Coblis, allow you to see your website through the eyes of a color-blind user. By testing your design with these tools, you can identify and rectify color choices that may be problematic.

Choosing High-Contrast Color Palettes

Accessible color palettes are pre-designed sets of colors, verified through testing with visually impaired users, and which abide by the contrast requirements of regulatory guidelines. Resources such as the W3C’s color palette recommendations can guide you in selecting compliant colors for your website.

Case Studies of Libraries with Successful Accessible Color Schemes

Many libraries have successfully adopted high-contrast color schemes. For instance, the Chicago Public Library‘s website uses high-contrast colors and clear text to ensure legibility and clarity for all users. Their thoughtful color choices have significantly improved user experience.

Using accessible colors makes your website easier to use for everyone and promotes inclusivity. Libraries that focus on accessibility often find their patrons more engaged and satisfied, as users with visual impairments can navigate and enjoy the content more easily.

Why Color and Contrast, and Accessibility are Crucial for Library Websites

Accessible website colors are essential for creating inclusive digital spaces. They enable all users, regardless of ability, to navigate websites and find the information they seek.

Libraries need to prioritize design choices that enable ease of access, recognizing the impact of color on user experience. By doing so, they can better serve their diverse communities and uphold their commitments to inclusivity.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation on Accessible Website Colors

Is your library’s website truly accessible to all community members? We’re here to help ensure your digital presence meets ADA website accessibility regulations.

Get in touch today for a free consultation and take the first steps towards ensuring all members of your diverse community can take full advantage of your website.