A topic that I regularly see cropping up is accessible reading for blind and visually impaired people. Questions such as ‘where do I get accessible books from?’ and ‘what accessible formats are available?’ are two of the most common questions that I encounter.
It’s been a while since I’ve wrote more of a practical resource type of blog post, so I thought I’d delve into it again and share some of the great places that offer accessible reading materials for people with a visual impairment. Some of these are charities which do fantastic work, so I think they deserve to be recognised. If it wasn’t for the services they offer, blind and visually impaired people wouldn’t have access to the vast amount of reading materials we do today.
Many of the services mentioned in this post are only available in the UK, but some of the more mainstream services are available worldwide.
Purchasing books in an accessible format such as audiobooks can often be expensive, so I’ve tried to include a range of options.
Personally, I try to use a combination of methods when accessing reading materials, such as both mainstream platforms and the range of libraries available. I love sitting down and taking some time to read a good book.
Having access to books in an accessible format is vital for blind and visually impaired people. Plus, nothing beats getting lost in a book!
Some of the services mentioned in the following list may have age limits, but I’m hoping that there will be something for everyone. I very much hope that this is a useful resource.
Audible
I’d say that this is probably the most well-known platform for audiobooks. Audible is owned by Amazon, and is the largest audiobook service in the world.
It offers a subscription service. Memberships start at £7.99 a month; this allows you to purchase one book a month. They also offer a two book monthly membership which costs £14.99 a month. Yearly membership plans are available as well.
It may seem expensive, but they have the largest catalogue of audiobooks. Members also have access to Audible’s range of podcasts.
If you aren’t currently a member, or don’t have an account, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial which entitles you to one free audiobook.
Buying audiobooks without a membership can be expensive, but the option to purchase any audiobook you want is also available. They often have deals which allow you to purchase audiobooks at a discounted price.
Any books that you purchase are yours to keep forever.
Kindle
If you’re a fan of eBooks (electronic versions of books), then Kindle is a great option. Like Audible, Kindle is owned by Amazon.
eBooks are often cheaper than audiobooks.
They can be read on Kindle devices or using the Kindle app which can be installed on a device you own.
Both of these options offer accessibility features such as the ability to enlarge the text and have it read out loud.
The Kindle app works on devices you may already have such as smartphones or tablets. The accessibility features built into these devices also make eBooks accessible for blind and visually impaired people.
If you use a braille display, then you can connect this to the device, allowing you to read the eBook in braille.
If you have an Amazon Echo, Alexa will read your Kindle books out loud.
It’s also worth noting that Audible and Kindle can work together, meaning that you can swap between the audiobook and eBook. Amazon call this feature Whispersync. You will need the companion audiobook to the eBook to access this. Being able to swap between the two is a great feature.
Kindle Unlimited is a service which gives you access to millions of eBooks and thousands of audiobooks for a monthly subscription of £7.99.
Apple or Google books
If you use Apple devices, then Apple Books is the one for you. If you use Android devices then Google Books is the one you need.
Both Apple and Google Books have a huge range of audiobooks and eBooks available.
Unlike other services, they don’t run on a monthly subscription, each book you want is a one-off purchase.
If you are someone who reads a lot of books, then this probably isn’t the cheapest option for you.
RNIB Library
The RNIB Library is free for blind and partially sighted people or people with a print disability. It offers books in audio, braille or large print.
They offer the following:
- Braille books
- Large print books
- Talking books on USB stick
- Talking books on DAISY CD
- Talking books from digital download, from the Reading Services platform.
You can borrow up to 6 books from the postal service, and can download as many books as you want from Reading Services.
They also offer a music library.
Advice is also available from the Reader Services Team.
The RNIB Library keep you up-to-date about new titles, and have regular shows on RNIB Connect Radio about all things books.
RNIB Bookshare
Specifically for education, RNIB Bookshare provides textbooks and materials in an accessible format.
Books are available in the following formats: accessible PDF, Epub, DAISY, audio, MP3, BRF or Word.
It’s worth talking to your school, college or university about access to RNIB Bookshare if you’re able to.
I wish I’d had access to this during my time in education!
Calibre Audio Library
Calibre Audio is a national charity which lends audio books to people with a print disability.
Members have unlimited borrowing. Calibre has over 12,000 audiobooks, with over 700 new titles being added each year.
They have over 3000 books available for children and young people.
Audiobooks can be streamed on smartphones, tablets and computers, but are also available on USB stick or CD.
When joining, members are asked their preferred format, and can even choose all three if they wish.
When streaming, books can be added to your personal streaming booklist, meaning that you can listen to them when you want.
If you are receiving books via post then you have two options:
The first is to inform the Calibre team of which categories of books you like, they will then send you books they think you’ll enjoy. They won’t send you the same book twice unless you request it.
The second option is for you to compile your own reading list. The books will then be sent out to you in order, when they are available.
Large print books can be purchased from the online shop, if they are available.
They also offer newsletters and reading suggestions.
They have a monthly podcast which can be found on your favourite podcast platform.
Living Paintings
Living Paintings is a free library for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. They provide touch to see books for blind and partially sighted people of all ages. Their books include tactile pictures which are accompanied by audio guides.
The audio guides help people explore the pictures, tell the stories of the images and describe the features. Audio guides are available on a USB stick or CD.
The books include coloured images of the topics in the tactile images, so that they can be shared by both people with a vision impairment and sighted people, meaning that everyone can enjoy the story together.
They have an online catalogue where members can choose books they’d like to read. Alternatively, the Living Paintings team can select books they think you’ll enjoy.
ClearVision
This is a postal library of children’s books. The books are designed to be shared by children with a vision impairment and sighted adults.
The books have braille, print and pictures. This means that children with a vision impairment can share books with their sighted friends and family, or adults with a vision impairment can enjoy books with sighted children.
I always loved reading these sort of books with my sighted parents when I was younger!
ClearVision also have a collection of tactile books, where each image is designed to be explored by touch, meaning that it is fully accessible.
Anyone in the UK or Ireland that needs books with both braille and print is welcome to join the library.
Membership is free for families, but organisations such as libraries and schools pay a subsidised annual fee of £50.
Seeing Ear
Seeing Ear are a charity that run the Accessible Library who provide books free of charge to people in the UK who are blind or visually impaired, have a print disability or a physical disability that prevents them from holding a book.
Their books are available in braille, large print, or by using a screen reader.
BBC Sounds
It is mostly known for radio and podcasts, but BBC sounds has a growing collection of audiobooks.
The audiobooks are free for anyone to listen to, all you need is a BBC account. They can be accessed via the BBC Sounds app or website.
Your local library
Local libraries have a range of audiobooks that are free to access.
You will need a library membership, but once you have registered with the library you can access the range of audiobooks available.
Just like physical library books, the audiobooks do have to be returned at the end of the loan period.
Audiobooks can be accessed via an app or on a computer.
I think having the choice of both mainstream platforms and specialist services is fantastic. Everyone has their preference when it comes to accessing books, and their choice of format.
I hope that having access to these libraries and mainstream platforms encourages blind and visually impaired people to get lost in the bookish world. Reading should be for everyone!
I hope that this resource is useful to some of you.
Do you have any others to add to the list? If so, leave your recommendations in the comments.
Holly x
![There’s a phrase we hear far too often: “fully accessible”.
Hotels use it. Venues use it. Website developers use it. Event organisers use it.
On the surface, it sounds brilliant. But there’s no one size fits all approach to accessibility.
Because accessibility isn’t a box you can tick once and forget about. There isn’t a magic point where something becomes accessible to every single disabled person.
Our access needs are different. What works for one person might not work for another.
Rather than asking, “is it accessible?”
Ask: “Accessible for who?”
In my latest blog post, I’m exploring why “fully accessible” is a myth. Head to the link in my bio if you’d like to give it a read.
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Hi Holly! Absolutely love your articles and posts. Started reading when I began caregiver responsibilities for my 93 year old mother who has lost her sight due to Macular Degeneration. Mom was always a very avid reader but is saying she is not interested in the audible book experience I’m sorry to say. Her loss of sight and ability to read has been mostly come in 2020 so I believe her lack of interest is an emotional response. But I won’t give up. I plan to find one of her favorite authors, download an ebook and start reading to her myself to see if she will get into the process.
I am however hoping you might have and additional idea or two that could help get over the emotional hump and get her accepting of the process? And recommendations?
Thanks so much!
Jerry
Thank you so much Jerry! I’m really sorry to hear your mum has lost her love of reading, I really hope she finds her enjoyment for it again. Completely understand that it might be an emotional response, sending her lots of love.
There are times when I just can’t get on with the narration of a book, so it might be worth another try with one of her favourite books or authors? Your idea is great, I love that.
There are various accessibility features built in to smartphones and tablets which will read books out loud, that is audio related again though. I’m not sure on her level of vision, but if she does have some useful vision, then maybe looking into the accessibility features of a tablet or kindle for example, or large print books. I’d say keep encouraging her, and perhaps read together, so that it becomes something she might enjoy doing with you. Hope that helps!
I think one area that is completely inaccessible is marketing. Especially when looking at products in store. Packaging for many products will be designed to catch the eye of shoppers but being visually impaired and relying on m phone as a magnifier or using things like seeing ai I’ve noticed that text on packaging can be very hard to read as there’s sometimes so much of it or it’s not contrasted enough or packaging is shinny which increases glare or when it’s not easy to find the important text it can be hard to accurately point the phone at the correct place for apps to read the text back to you or it’s in a font that’s hard to read or be picked up by apps.
Completely agree with you
This is a great list.
One you didn’t mention is Smashwords, which offers their eBooks in a variety of formats. Not all authors have all formats enabled, but most do, which means you can access the eBooks on there in a variety of formats, including mobi (for Kindle) and ePub (for iPads and many other eReaders) but also in formats like PDF and html, which you can read using your computer or a web browser. Smashwords is free to join, and some of the books are free. They also regularly have promotions going on where authors enroll books at discounted prices. Even when there aren’t promotions happening though, the books are generally priced reasonably – it’s like getting Kindle books, but with more formats to choose from.
Thank you! I’ve never heard of Smashwords so will definitely have a look, thank you for the suggestion!
Hi Holly. Thank you for making a great list of places to find books.
I wanted to add that there is the Amazon Alexa app that you can download and it will read the same Kindle books to you without having to own the physical device.
Thank you. Oh brilliant, thanks so much – great suggestion!
Great post.
Thank you
This is such a handy resource. You’re absolutely right in saying that reading should be for everyone and I’m sure this post will help to point people in the direction of a service that will work best for them xxx
Thank you! xxx
Holly …great article……but I find the biggest problem is the device to listen to audiobooks on. The devices sold that have big buttons etc are limited in access to specific libraries and/or have synthesized voices. My friend is 93 and cannot see well enough to manage a device like a tablet ……..would be nice to think one of the major tablet companies like Samsung couldn’t produce a tablet for the vision impaired that had easier to use controls.
Thank you.
Absolutely!