Bookshare.org is a non-profit that makes specially formatted files (large print as well as audio)of popular and scholarly books and magazines available to readers with print disabilities, including visual impairments, physical disabilities and severe dyslexia. The first year of membership costs $75; subsequent years cost $50. Since works are licensed to Bookshare under a special copyright agreement, users must submit proof of disability to be eligible for a Bookshare membership.
While individual memberships are encouraged, institutional memberships for schools and libraries are available at a higher rate ($300 for 30 downloads). Bookshare encourages institutions to have disabled patrons sign up for individual accounts. I think it would be wonderful if a library could subsidize all or part of the Bookshare licensing fee for their disabled patrons who cannot access their regular collections.
Bookshare continues to expand and upgrade their collection of available materials through licensing partnerships with publishers. Book content ranges from New York Times bestsellers to K-12 textbooks to Newbery Award winners to scholarly books published by The University of Chicago Press and New York University Press. Newspapers and magazines (including some Spanish language titles) are also available for download through Bookshare. Volunteer opportunities including book scanning, proofreading and reviewing are available for everyone interested.
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Thank you for this post! We'd like to clarify that there are no membership fees for qualified U.S. students, thanks to a generous award from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Memberships for U.S. schools, universities, and colleges serving qualified students are free. Libraries assisting U.S. students would also get free memberships for the students, but pay the book block fee for other patrons. Your idea of having libraries subsidize is a good one! Again, thanks for helping spread the word.
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