The 18th annual NISO x BISG Forum, titled Accessibility Standards and the Future of Inclusive Publishing, is scheduled to take place on June 27, 2025, in Philadelphia. Organized in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition, the forum will convene industry stakeholders to examine the evolving standards landscape and its impact on accessible content in the publishing industry.
This year’s event focuses on how standards development influences the creation, distribution, and discoverability of accessible materials. Through a series of curated panel discussions and expert-led talks, participants will address the state of accessibility in publishing, explore the infrastructural and organizational requirements for inclusive practices, and consider the critical role libraries play in promoting equitable access to published content.
Designed as a platform for collaboration, the forum aims to identify common challenges, surface emerging solutions, and encourage greater alignment among publishers, libraries, standards bodies, and technology providers. The event is positioned as a structured opportunity to assess ongoing progress and inform future directions for accessibility in scholarly and trade publishing.
The program includes the following sessions:
• Opening remarks
• Laying the groundwork for inclusive publishing
• Progress assessment: How far are we from delivery?
• Vendor perspectives: A conversation on content conversion
• Innovation at scale: OverDrive’s vision for accessible content
• Current tools and future directions in accessible publishing
• Library publishing futures
• Open Q&A and group discussion
This year’s agenda builds on a history of forum themes addressing industry-critical topics, including artificial intelligence in publishing (2024), sustainability and diversity in publishing (2023), the evolving role of the book (2022), and interoperability for discovery (2020–2021).
The forum will be held from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 123, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia. Attendance is free for all registered participants of the ALA Annual Conference. The event will be conducted exclusively in person, with no virtual streaming option available.
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