Jodi Awards for museum, library and archive website accessibility 2006 Call for Nominations

Launched in 2003, the Jodi Awards recognise museum, gallery, library, archive or heritage websites that demonstrate commitment to meeting web accessibility standards. Nominated sites pass before an experienced panel of judges, supported by formal testing by disability experts and disabled users.

The awards are developed and sustained by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, (MLA), 24 Hour Museum and the British Museum.

The deadline for nominations is 24 February 2006 and the awards will be announced at a high profile event on 5 April 2006 at the British Museum.

Full information on how to apply is available at

http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/learnacc/00access_03.asp#4

http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/learnacc/00access_03.asp#4 . Sponsorship for the Jodi Awards 2006 is provided by Simulacra, the new media consultancy offering award-winning web-based information management solutions.

For further Press information please contact Emma Poole / Gemma Crisp at MLA [email protected] / [email protected] 020 7273 1459. For general information on the awards please contact the awards organisers below.

Information about the Jodi Awards

The Awards are named in memory of Jodi Mattes (1973-2001). Jodi worked as part of the British Museum's COMPASS team, and then at the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Previously known as the 'Jodi Mattes Web Accessibility Awards', the Awards were established in 2003, European Year of Disabled People and celebrate the most accessible museum, library and archive websites. They were initiated by former colleagues of Jodi Mattes, and supported by MLA, the Museums Computer Group (MCG) and the Department of Museum Studies, University of Leicester. The Organising Committee has been formed to give continuity to the Awards.

The Jodi Awards aim to encourage best practice in new media accessibility in the longer term. The organising committee have developed a three year plan (available at

http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/learnacc/00access_03.asp#4

http://www.mla.gov.uk/action/learnacc/00access_03.asp#4 ) for the awards, which were first given in 2003 and 2005.

The Organising Committee are:
Matthew Cock, New Media Content Manager, British Museum
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Marcus Weisen, Health and Disability Adviser, MLA
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Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum
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