UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR INFORMATION (UDI) IN DIGITAL LIBRARIES: PRINCIPLES, MODELS, AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Resumen

This chapter examines Universal Design for Information (UDI) as a fundamental paradigm for promoting inclusion, accessibility, and Informational Justice in digital libraries. Through a theoretical and conceptual approach, it analyzes the evolution of UDI and its articulation with human rights, accessibility policies, critical information literacy, and digital curation. Digital libraries are understood as sociotechnical environments in which technological, cultural, and organizational elements directly influence equity in access to knowledge. By discussing principles such as equity of access, simplicity, flexibility, perceptibility of information, and tolerance for error, the chapter highlights how these elements strengthen users’ informational autonomy. It also addresses the role of inclusive metadata, interoperability, and international standards (WCAG, Dublin Core, Schema.org, FAIR/IDEIA, ISO 16363) in building accessible digital ecosystems. International reference models and structural and epistemological challenges faced by Brazilian institutions are examined, followed by practical recommendations for institutional repositories and Federal Network libraries. The chapter concludes that UDI transcends technical aspects, constituting an ethical and educational commitment that positions digital libraries as key environments for democratizing knowledge and fostering citizenship.