Q. How do I format an accessible table in LibGuides?

While it is tempting to use tables to arrange text and images in a specific order in LibGuides, tables should only be used to display tabular data and information, with one piece of information per table cell. Your tables must also include descriptive and properly formatted columns and/or row headings.

How to create accessible tables in LibGuides:

1. When in the Rich Text Editor, click the Table button in the menu.
2. Enter your desired number of rows and columns. Make sure to include a row and/or column for your table headers.
3. Headers: Choose First Row, First Column, or Both.
4. Caption: Add a short, descriptive table title in the caption field
5. Class: Select a type of table, like table-bordered or table-striped.
6. Click the OK button to insert your table.
7. Need to edit your table or delete a row/column? Right click on the table to view options. Click Table Properties to open the editing menu.
8. Do not merge or split cells! These change the logical flow of data and confuse screen reader devices.

For more information and examples of accessible tables in LibGuides, check out Creating Accessible LibGuides at UMD.