Website accessibility statement in line with Public Sector Body (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018
The Walter Scott Digital Archivehttp://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/ is a website hosted by the University of Edinburgh Library on behalf of the University of Edinburgh. It is created in the Centre for Research Collections and designed around the Corson Collection of Walter Scott material. It is an extensive source of information on the life and work of Sir Walter Scott.
We want as many people as possible to be able to use our website. For example, this means you should be able to:
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
AbilityNet - My computer my way
With a few simple steps you can customise the appearance of our website to make it easier to read and navigate.
Additional information on how to customise our website appearance
If you are a member of the University staff or a student you can use the free Sensus Access accessible document conversion service.
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, audio recording or braille please contact the website team by contacting us:
By using the IS Helpline online contact form
Or phoning
+44 (0)131 651 5151
Or email
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements please let us know by contacting:
By using the IS Helpline online contact form
Or phoning
+44 (0)131 651 5151
Or email
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) directly.
Contact details for the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)
The government has produced information on how to report accessibility issues:
Reporting an accessibility problem on a public sector website
British Sign Language service
British Sign Language Scotland runs a service for British Sign Language users and all of Scotland’s public bodies using video relay. This enables sign language users to contact public bodies and vice versa. The service operates from 8am to 12 midnight, 7 days a week.
British Sign Language Scotland service details
The University of Edinburgh is committed to making its websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below
The full guidelines are available at
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
The following items to not comply with the WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria
Unless specified otherwise, wherever possible a complete solution or significant improvement will be in place by March 2021 where the issues are within our control.
We are not currently claiming that any accessibility problems would be a disproportionate burden to fix.
We are not currently claiming that any material is out of scope.
We will continue to work with our in house developers to address these issues and deliver a solution or suitable workaround and correct issues directly where they are under our control.
We will continue to monitor accessibility and will carry out further accessibility testing if significant changes are made to the user interface or if a service user raises an issue. To plan to resolve the issues that are within our control by April 2022. We plan to manual review the accessibility of the site and make improvements and update this statement before April 2022. We will ensure reasonable adjustments are in place to make sure no user is disadvantaged.
Information Services (IS) has further information on accessibility including assistive technology, creating accessible documents, and services IS provides for disabled users.
Assistive technology, creating accessible documents, and services IS provides for disabled users
This statement was prepared on 20th September 2021. It was last reviewed on 20th September 2021.
This website was last tested on 22nd June 2021. This website was last tested by The University Library and University Collections Digital Library team using the Microsoft Edge (84.0.522.52), Mozilla Firefox (78.5.0esr) and Google Chrome (86.0.4240.198) browsers. Although Internet Explorer remains one of the most commonly used browsers by disabled people, specifically due to its accessibility features and compatibility with assistive technology, EventsAir does not support it and it is therefore not compatible. For details on browser use, please refer to a UK government survey:
UK Government assistive technology browser survey.
However, Edge, Firefox and especially Chrome are considered the popular browsers when using a screenreader, as confirmed by current world-wide usage levels for different screen readers and browsers:
Most recent WebAim annual survey.
The aforementioned three browsers have been used in certain questions for reasons of breadth and variety.
We tested:
Previous automated testing was carried out by The University Library and University Collections Digital Library team using the automated LittleForest tool in September 2020
We did not use sample pages for testing - all pages were run through LittleForest.
Little Forrest claims it tests the following WCAG criteria either partially or wholly
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.1.1 |
Non-text Content |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.2.1 |
Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.2.2 |
Captions (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.2.3 |
Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.3.1 |
Info and Relationships |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.3.2 |
Meaningful Sequence |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.3.3 |
Sensory Characteristics |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.4.1 |
Use of Color |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
1.4.2 |
Audio Control |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.1.1 |
Keyboard |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.1.2 |
No Keyboard Trap |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.2.1 |
Timing Adjustable |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.2.2 |
Pause, Stop, Hide |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.3.1 |
Three Flashes or Below Threshold |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.4.1 |
Bypass Blocks |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.4.2 |
Page Titled |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.4.3 |
Focus Order |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
2.4.4 |
Link Purpose (In Context) |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
3.1.1 |
Language of Page |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
3.2.1 |
On Focus |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
3.2.2 |
On Input |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
3.3.1 |
Error Identification |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
3.3.2 |
Labels or Instructions |
WCAG 2.1 |
A |
4.4.1 |
Parsing |
WCAG 2.0 |
A |
4.4.2 |
Name, Role, Value |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.2.4 |
Captions (Live) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.2.5 |
Audio Description (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.4.3 |
Contrast (Minimum) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.4.4 |
Resize Text |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.4.5 |
Images of Text |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
2.4.5 |
Multiple Ways |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
2.4.6 |
Headings and Labels |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
2.4.7 |
Focus Visible |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
3.1.2 |
Language of Parts |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
3.2.3 |
Consistent Navigation |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
3.2.4 |
Consistent Identification |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
3.3.3 |
Error Suggestion |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
3.3.4 |
Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.2.6 |
Sign Language (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.2.7 |
Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.2.8 |
Media Alternative (Prerecorded) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.2.9 |
Audio-only (Live) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.4.6 |
Contrast (Enhanced) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.4.7 |
Low or No Background Audio |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.4.8 |
Visual Presentation |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
1.4.9 |
Images of Text (No Exception) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.1.3 |
Keyboard (No Exception) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.2.3 |
No Timing |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.2.4 |
Interruptions |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.2.5 |
Re-authenticating |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.3.2 |
Three Flashes |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.4.8 |
Location |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.4.9 |
Link Purpose (Link Only) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
2.4.10 |
Section Headings |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.1.3 |
Unusual Words |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.1.4 |
Abbreviations |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.1.5 |
Reading |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.1.6 |
Pronunciation |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.2.5 |
Change on Request |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.3.5 |
Help |
WCAG 2.1 |
AAA |
3.3.6 |
Error Prevention (All) |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.3.4 |
Orientation |
WCAG 2.1 |
AA |
1.3.5 |
Identify Input Purpose |