Accessibility Statement

Marginalia (readmarginalia.com), operated by 4xxi Software Ltd., is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of ability or technology. We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA as our target standard.

This standard satisfies the technical requirements of major international accessibility legislation, including:

• European Union — European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) and Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102), referencing EN 301 549 v3.2.1.
• United States — Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Titles II and III, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Canada — Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), referencing CAN/ASC-EN 301 549:2024.
• Japan — JIS X 8341-3:2016 (Level AA), aligned with the Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.

Accessibility is an ongoing effort. We continually review and improve our website to remove barriers and ensure that all users can access our curated scientific content.

Partially conformant. Marginalia is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. “Partially conformant” means that some aspects of the content may not yet fully conform to the accessibility standard.

We conducted a self-assessment audit in February 2026 using a combination of automated scanning tools, structural code analysis, and manual review. The majority of identified issues have been remediated. Remaining items are listed in the Known Limitations section below.

We take the following steps to support accessibility on Marginalia:

• Semantic HTML structure with proper heading hierarchy and landmark regions (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>).
• Keyboard navigation support throughout the site, including a skip-to-content link as the first focusable element.
• Colour contrast ratios meeting or exceeding WCAG 2.1 AA requirements (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text and non-text elements).
• Text alternatives for meaningful images and icons; decorative elements marked with empty alt attributes or aria-hidden.
• ARIA labels, roles, and states for interactive components such as menus, dialogs, collapsible sections, and form controls.
• Responsive design that works across screen sizes and zoom levels up to 400% without horizontal scrolling.
• Focus indicators for keyboard users navigating the interface.
• Respect for user preferences including prefers-reduced-motion, prefers-color-scheme, and prefers-contrast.
• Accessible dialog and alert components with proper focus management.

While we strive for full conformance, some content on Marginalia may present challenges:

• Third-party content: Embedded academic paper metadata sourced from external databases and external links may not meet our accessibility standards. We do not control this content.
• AI-generated content: Some AI-generated summaries may not always be structured optimally for assistive technologies.
• Complex layouts: Reading order in some multi-column layouts (e.g., marginalia-style expert notes alongside article content) may benefit from further verification with screen readers.
• Older content: Content published before our most recent accessibility review may not yet have been individually verified.

We are working to address these limitations and appreciate your patience as we improve.

This statement was prepared based on a self-assessment conducted in February 2026. The evaluation included:

• Automated scanning using accessibility testing tools (eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y, pattern-based code analysis).
• Structural code review against all 50 WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA success criteria.
• Manual review for issues that cannot be detected automatically, including reading order, link text clarity, and colour-only information.

If you experience any difficulty accessing content on Marginalia, or if you have suggestions for improving accessibility, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Postal address: 4xxi Software Ltd., London, United Kingdom

When reporting an accessibility issue, it is helpful to include:

• The web address (URL) of the page where you experienced the issue.
• A description of the problem you encountered.
• The browser and assistive technology you were using, if applicable.

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 30 business days and will work with you to find a reasonable solution.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility feedback, you may contact the relevant authority in your jurisdiction:

• EU: Contact your national market surveillance authority or the relevant enforcement body in your Member State under the European Accessibility Act.
• United Kingdom: Equality and Human Rights Commission
• United States: ADA complaint process (Department of Justice)
• Canada (Ontario): Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
• Canada (Federal): Accessibility Standards Canada

Marginalia is designed to be compatible with current versions of major web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and common assistive technologies including screen readers such as VoiceOver, NVDA, and JAWS.

We periodically review our website for accessibility and make improvements as part of our regular development process. This statement will be reviewed and updated at least annually.