Digital Accessibility - Library e-resources

This guide provides information about the digital accessibility features of library e-resources. It is a developing resource which currently includes information about some of the Library ebook collections.

General features of the Brill platform

This page provides information about the online reader and the landing page for Brill. It includes sections on the ease of use of the platform, navigation tips, download formats and available accessibility features.

Below is a brief summary of accessibility features in the online reader:

Choice of formats - Yes
Change the font size/zoom - Yes
Change the background/text colour - Yes
Change the font type - No
Change the page layout - No
Inbuilt text-to-speech - No
Is the table of contents clickable from the eBook landing page to the online reader? - Yes
Keyboard navigation - Yes

Downloading Brill eBooks.

Screen readers and text-to-speech software.

Brill Accessibility Statement

eBook Formats in the Online Reader:

What eBook formats are available?

When using the online reader, Brill eBooks are mostly available in HTML and PDF format. Some eBooks, mostly older titles, will only be available in PDF format. When downloading, Brill eBooks are available in PDF format.

Where to find the available formats on the landing page?

Formats can be selected once a chapter is open in the online reader. Underneath the chapter title and metadata are a selection of headings which indicate the formats available for that title. Clicking on a heading will open the chapter in that format.

Changing Font Size/Zoom:

Zoom:

When using the HTML format, there is no built in option to change the zoom in the online reader. In cases where the zoom size can be changed in the browser's settings, the changes will be displayed broadly on the website, including in the online reader. The changes will be reflected on the online reader up to 300% zoom with no issues.

When using the PDF format, zoom size can be changed by using the plus and minus buttons on the icon bar at the top of the reader.

Changing background/text colour:

Currently, there is no built-in option to change the colour of the background or text within the Brill website. In cases where background colour can be changed in the browser's settings, the changes will be displayed across the website, including the online reader in both HTML and PDF format.

Keyboard Navigation:

The Brill website can be navigated using a keyboard through using the tab key to move between links, and the enter button to follow a link.

The website features a 'Jump to Content' button which appears in the upper left corner of the screen when first pressing the tab key on any page. Pressing the enter key when this button is highlighted will skip the website's headers and move directly to the book's content.

Drop down menus do not open automatically when selected using the tab key. To open a drop down menu, press the enter key when the correct menu has been selected. This function makes it quicker to move past less relevant menus.

Using the Table of Contents:

How do I access the table of contents from the landing page?

When following a link to a Brill eBook from the library catalogue, you are automatically brought to that book's table of contents. The contents is displayed directly underneath the book's cover and publisher information. Clicking on a chapter title will open that chapter in the online reader. Make sure to click the drop down arrow on the left hand side of any section title to show the chapters within that section.

When a chapter is open in the online reader, a table of contents can be accessed on the right hand side of the screen by clicking the button labelled 'Table of Contents'. This table can be used for quick access to other chapters without returning to the landing page.

Save and Print options for Brill eBooks

What download options are available?

All content provided by Brill is DRM-free, meaning users can download, print, and copy as much as they like.

When downloading, Brill eBooks are only available in PDF format.

How to download chapters

Brill allows users to download entire books as single PDFs, and to download individual chapters. There is no limit to the amount of chapters a user can download.

Downloading an entire eBook

Entire eBooks can be downloaded directly from the landing page. To the right of the book's cover and general information is a button labelled 'Download PDF'. Clicking this button will begin to download the book in PDF format.

Downloading a single chapter

Single chapters can be downloaded from the landing page's table of contents. Underneath each chapter title is a button labelled 'Download PDF'. Clicking that button will begin to download the above chapter in PDF format.

Using screen readers and text-to-speech software with Brill eBooks

Screen Reader Compatibility with Brill eBooks:

Note: Whilst this section will give an overview for which screen readers work with the above platform, there are many variables which can impact screen reader performance:

Browser - Different browsers may not function identically with certain screen readers like Read Aloud only being available with specific browsers. In general, this guide tested books using Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.
Software - When using downloaded content, the software chosen to open documents such as PDFs and EPUBS can impact on the functionality of screen readers. In general, this guide tested books using Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge's built in reader's for PDFs, and Calibre and Apple Books for EPUBS.
Document preparation: As eBook providers host titles from a variety of publishers, there can be significant differences in screen reader compatibility from title to title. For example, older PDFs are less likely to have OCR text, meaning it cannot always been highlighted or read by a screen reader. In general, this guide tested multiple eBooks for each provider.

Are screen readers compatible with eBooks in HTML format in the online reader?

VoiceOver (MacOS) - Yes - More information on using VoiceOver

Narrator (Windows) - Yes - More information on using Narrator

Read Aloud (Windows) - Yes - More information on using Read Aloud

Are screen readers compatible with downloaded eBooks in PDF format?