Case Study 4: The Library Corporation — Accessibility & Serials Cataloging
Overview
Company: The Library Corporation
Role: Software Engineer
Duration: September 2019 – November 2021
Industry: Library Software / B2B SaaS
The Challenge
The Library Corporation serves 5,500+ school and public libraries across the United States. Their cataloging applications needed modernization: accessibility compliance was mandatory for government contracts, and a major serials cataloging feature had been requested for years but never delivered. Three months in, the lead developer transitioned to another project, leaving me as the sole frontend developer for the next 23 months.
Key Problems:
- Legacy Java Spring/Thymeleaf templates with accessibility violations
- WCAG compliance required for government contract renewals
- Serials cataloging feature postponed for years
- Sole frontend developer for 23 months
- Unfamiliar domain (library science) and tech stack (first Java project)
- Waterfall methodology with long feedback cycles
My Approach
First: Accessibility Remediation
- Audited 15+ views using WebAIM and browser tools
- Categorized and prioritized 200+ WCAG violations
- Systematically fixed issues over 1 month:
- Missing alt text on images
- Missing input labels and ARIA roles
- Broken links and empty buttons
- Low contrast and incorrect heading order
- Missing focus states and semantic HTML
Second: Domain Immersion
- Collaborated closely with retiring senior cataloger (SME)
- Learned library science fundamentals and cataloging workflows
- Translated complex requirements into intuitive UI patterns
Third: Serials Cataloging System
- Architected year-long initiative as sole frontend developer
- Built pagination, advanced search filtering, and navigation patterns
- Developed algorithm-driven serial generation handling:
- Limited and indefinite schedules
- Multiple formats (periodicals, magazines, academic journals)
- Create/clone/duplicate/generate operations
- Cadence options (daily through biannual)
- Volume, Part, Issue, Index, Section types
Fifth: Polymorphic Component Architecture
- Engineered scalable cataloging components using AngularJS directives
- Single component class handling multiple asset types (books, magazines, encyclopedias, serials)
- Reduced code duplication while maintaining consistent design language
- Eliminated need for asset-specific forms
The Results
| Metric | Value | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG Violations Fixed | 200+ | Full compliance achieved |
| Libraries Served | 5,500+ | Nationwide impact |
| Solo Developer Duration | 23 months | Resilience demonstrated |
| Features Delivered | 30+ | Serials cataloging complete |
| Application Feature Count | 2x | Doubled capabilities |
| Government Contracts | Renewed | Compliance unlocked revenue |
Key Takeaways
- Domain expertise matters. Technical skills mean nothing without understanding user needs—librarians have complex, specialized workflows.
- Accessibility is non-negotiable. It's not just compliance; it improves usability for everyone.
- Resilience builds confidence. Operating solo for 23 months in an unfamiliar domain proved I could adapt to any challenge.
Technologies Used
AngularJS, JavaScript ES6+, Java, Spring, Thymeleaf, HTML5, CSS3, WebAIM, WCAG 2.0 AA, Git, Browser Accessibility Tools