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 OpenBook platform

This page provides information about the online reader and the landing page for OpenBook. 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 OpenBook ebooks.

Screen readers and text-to-speech software.

OpenBook's Accessibility Statement

eBook Formats in the Online Reader:

What eBook formats are available?

When using the online reader, all content on OpenBook is available PDF format, with many also being available in HTML. When downloading, all content is available in PDF format, with some also being available in XML. Note that whilst some books have download options for EPUB and AZW3, these are paid-for options not covered by the library.

Where to find the available formats on the landing page?

Available formats can be viewed on the landing page by clicking the 'Read Online' and 'Download' buttons located to the right of the book's cover. Clicking on these buttons will bring up a drop down menu indicating what formats are available for that book.

Changing Font Size/Zoom:

Zoom:

Currently, there is no built in zoom option on the OpenBooks website. 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.

Changing background/text colour:

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

Keyboard Navigation:

The OpenBook 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 arrow keys can then be used to scroll up and down a page.

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 an OpenBooks eBook from the library catalogue, you are automatically brought to that book's table of contents. The contents is displayed below the book's general information.

When a chapter is open in the online reader in HTML, the book's table of contents is clickable and can be used to navigate to other chapters. In the menu accessed by clicking the three lines icon in the top right hand corner of the page, the button labelled 'Contents' will return you to that book's contents page.

Save and Print options for OpenBook eBooks

What download options are available?

The content on OpenBooks is all open access, meaning students are free to download, copy, and save as much of a book as they wish.

When downloading, all content is available in PDF format, with some also being available in XML. Note that whilst some books have download options for EPUB and AZW3, these are paid-for options not covered by the library.

Content on open books can be downloaded as either an entire book, or as individual chapters.

How to download

Downloading an entire book

When downloading an entire book, there will be a variety of formats available depending on the title. To download an entire book, click the 'Download' button located on the landing page, to the right of the book's cover. This will bring up a dropdown menu with the list of available formats. Clicking on that format will begin the download. Note that whilst some books have download options for EPUB and AZW3, these are paid-for options not covered by the library.

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

Screen Reader Compatibility with OpenBook 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?