JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services has launched new tools and workflows to support alt text creation for image‑based materials across digital collections. With this release, Tier 2 and Tier 3 participants in JSTOR Stewardship can author, edit, export, and publish alt text directly on JSTOR. Tier 3 charter participants also gain access to JSTOR Seeklight, which can generate draft alt text for individual items or in bulk.
Alt text provides access to information conveyed visually for individuals who cannot perceive images and is a key requirement of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). For libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions managing large image collections, creating meaningful descriptions at scale can be challenging. The new workflows extend JSTOR’s accessibility initiatives by integrating WCAG‑aligned alt text support into the platform institutions already use to manage and share collections.
JSTOR Seeklight‑generated alt text is intended as a starting point for expert review. Staff can refine descriptions, while built‑in indicators of uncertainty and flags for images containing people highlight cases where professional judgment and collection context are especially important.
Roger Schonfeld, Managing Director of JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services, explained that alt text is essential for making image‑based collections more accessible and described the release as a significant step in JSTOR Stewardship’s support for accessibility. He noted that Seeklight began with metadata generation but has expanded to include transcripts for text‑based materials and now alt text for images, helping institutions advance both discoverability and accessibility while maintaining expert oversight.
The capability was shaped through research, testing, and feedback from librarians, archivists, accessibility practitioners, and other digital collections professionals. This continues JSTOR Seeklight’s community‑informed approach to AI‑assisted collections processing.
Institutions interested in strengthening accessibility can learn more about JSTOR Stewardship, including the Tier 3 charter program, through JSTOR’s blog and related resources.
Click here to read the original press release.
