Digital Books:
If you want to read a whole book, or a long article, you should probably read it inside an app. start reading Often it is more comfortable to read on a tablet. For longer items, reading apps allow you to highlight and take notes on an article or a book and save them.
You can also search your notes and highlights later if you are looking for a specific piece of information. Notes and highlights can be printed out so you can study, or look for material to use in a paper.
Commercial e-readers have limits on their TTS capabilities because of copyright restrictions on audio versions of books
Google Play, Kindle apps, iBook and Nook
- The apps are free, however, you pay for the books.
- All but iBook’s are available on multiple platforms.
- They all have dictionary, highlighting and annotation options.
- Text to speech is not very easy or high quality for copyrighted works but can be made to work on some devices.
- Kindle paperwhite owns Audible, so you can usually purchase the Audible version of a book for a discount.
Free sources for eBook reader
Bookshare:
If you are an individual with a documented reading disability, you can use Bookshare.
(see here for more detail: https://www.bookshare.org/cms/bookshare-me/who-qualifies)
- Free eBooks, including textbooks for people with reading disabilities.
- Almost all current commercial fiction and non-fiction are readily available
- You can submit a request for books to be digitized can take 4-6 weeks.
- Option to download a pure audio version of a text to use with MP3 player
- Free software for all devices to read these books available to members
- Our recommendation is Voice Dream, although it is not free
Registration also required for the following free sources of e-books:
New York Public Library – just regular registration, no proof of disability required, has ebooks and audiobooks
The Andrew Heiskell Library – requires registration and proof of reading disability but offers special services.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped – requires registration and proof of reading disability
No registration required for the following free online sources of e-books:
Project Gutenberg – offers over 53,000 ebooks
Google Scholar – free published articles.
Textbooks (k-12) – California digital textbook free resource
Internet Archive – More than just text, also pictures, videos and websites
Audio Books:
If you are just listening for pleasure, and don’t need to take notes, an audio book can be just the thing.
Sources of pure audio books
Librivox – free recordings of public domain books for anyone
- https://librivox.org/
- Audio recording of public domain books read and recorded by volunteers.
Learning Ally – requires registration and proof of reading disability and an annual fee
- Audio versions of over 80,000 textbooks and literature.
- Offers membership to qualified students and individuals for an annual fee.
- Reading Ally offers ,free tool ,software and apps for Android devices, iPad, iPhone or iPod.
- http://www.learningally.org/
Audible – high quality dramatic readings for a fee, available to anyone.
- Can be bought in conjunction with kindle devices e-books and they will sync.
- https://www.audible.com/