The SeamlessAccess Audit Toolkit: A Framework for Librarians to Audit Resource Access

To help navigate complex issues caused by changes in technology, regulations, and user expectations, SeamlessAccess is producing a toolkit that gives librarians a framework for auditing their resource access. Structured into four key areas—Usability, Privacy, Reliability, and Security—the toolkit enables library staff the ability to identify the risks and opportunities that inform decision-making and advocate for future investment. In this paper, the authors explore the usability and privacy sections of the toolkit. In addition, the paper features feedback from a librarian about how the toolkit helped them identify and address access-related issues, assess potential ethical or legal exposure, and identify best practices and next steps for moving forward. The authors also recommend the toolkit as a communications tool to enable librarians to improve knowledge and awareness within their teams as well as with key stakeholders outside the library.