The IFLA Information Technology Section focuses on information and communication technologies related to the creation, organization, storage, maintenance, access, retrieval, and transfer of information and documents for all types of libraries and information centers.  It addresses topics that widely involve information and computer technologies, including technology sustainability and equitable access.

Making bibliography work accessible often brings Zotero to mind. This open-source, free tool is widely used in libraries. However, despite the recruitment of an accessibility expert in 2022 and a 2024 audit certifying accessibility, Zotero still presents challenges for visually impaired users:

• Reference import can conflict with screen readers.

• Metadata and collection management are hindered by missing keyboard shortcuts and unlabelled buttons.

• Editing item details (e.g., tags) is not fully accessible via keyboard.

• Creating bibliographies is difficult due to limited screen reader support for formatting options.

In response, Maxime LOKIETEK, a doctoral student at Paris-Saclay University, and Manuel FAOUEN, a blind software developer, created Bibliosphère in 2023. This software, still in beta, is designed specifically for visually impaired users in higher education and research.

Bibliosphère is fully compatible with screen readers, Braille displays, and magnification tools, and offers customizable visual accessibility settings. It aims to support equal opportunities in postgraduate and doctoral studies.

The final version, including a web extension for reference import and DOI detection, will be released free of charge in autumn 2025. Bibliosphère exemplifies how inclusive design can help make higher education truly accessible.

Authors: François-Xavier Boffy (Information Coordinator, IT Section) and Elodie Terracol (Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1)