Accessible Formats Show & Tell
Many of us take the ability to read print for granted, whether it's a book, a recipe, a grocery store flyer, or medicine instructions. However, it can be challenging to read print for any number of reasons.
Burlington Public Library offers books in various formats and reading aids to help you read print more easily.
All Types of Books
You can borrow books in many formats to enjoy on the go or when relaxing at home.
Large Print Books
BPL has nearly 10,000 large print fiction and non-fiction titles that you can borrow. Local residents, Millicent McEwen and Mae Beatrice Broadbent, made generous donations to BPL to support this collection and we continuously expand it thanks to these funds. We aim to purchase large print versions of all popular books when they are available.
Books on CD & DAISY Talking Books
Author Lawrence Block once said, “Why on earth should I care whether people read me with their eyes or their ears?” We agree! Audiobooks are a fantastic reading option for everyone.
Along with a huge selection of digital audiobooks that readers can download or stream, you can also borrow fiction and non-fiction audiobooks on CD to play on your own CD player. We also carry Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) digital talking books and specialized players. People with a print disability who are registered with CNIB may borrow DAISY items.
Browsing the DAISY talking book collection at Central Branch
Decodable Books
New to the library in October 2023, decodable books focus on familiar letter and sound relationships. Decodable text helps people with dyslexia, or any struggling reader, gain confidence as they experience success with word-level reading.
Braille Books for Kids
Children and their caregivers can borrow board and picture books with read-along Braille text and popular stories for kids in the primary grades.
Beyond Books
Many of us have daily print reading needs that go beyond reading a book for enjoyment. Fortunately, at our library branches you can find C-Pen and ZoomText technology and equipment like Optelec electronic desktop magnifiers and the SARA CE Text Reader.
Using a C-Pen to read a book written in Spanish
Optelec’s full-size Merlin and Clearview CCTV magnifiers both enlarge text. The SARA CE is a reading appliance specifically designed for people with low vision or who are blind. It scans and converts printed text to spoken text and has built-in Braille support. You can use the SARA CE at Central Branch and Optelec/Merlin machines are available at all locations except Kilbride Branch.
In addition, BPL has an accessibility tool called ReachDeck available on our website. This tool allows you to listen to our website on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Simply click on the orange circle with a white figure inside to launch the toolbar. However, please note that while most of our web pages are ReachDeck-enabled, some links may lead to sites that lack ReachDeck functionality, such as our online catalogue or digital resources.
One Place to Look
You can find links to all of BPL’s adaptive reading formats and reading aids by selecting SERVICES on the website main menu, and then looking under Accessibility to get to the Accessibility Aids & Devices page.
