Internet Archive Services
The Internet Archive is amazing. It is a digital repository with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge." It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, movies/videos, moving images, and millions of books. In addition to its archiving function, the Archive is an activist organization, advocating a free and open Internet.
It also has a print alternative resource called Books for People with Print Disabilities and Ranger College has created an account to allow students who are registered for disability accommodations to access a variety of formats that may help with studies.
Below is more information about the program. In order to use these tools, please contact the library for more information.
Books and text content available to people with disabilities:
- Unencrypted text DAISY files for books that are in the public domain
- Encrypted text DAISY files for modern books that are otherwise restricted and available for lending. This format can be used on the VictorStream Reader and some Braille readers either of which must have a Library of Congress NLS key installed. More information on this topic can be found here.
- All books can be read in a browser user on our Online Book Reader. This online reader has both magnification and text-to-speech capabilities. Public-domain books are immediately accessible in the Book Reader. Modern books must be borrowed or accessed under special disability access before they are fully available in the Book Reader.
- Modern books are also available to be borrowed and downloaded using Controlled Digital Lending. Once borrowed, a modern book can be opened on a user’s desktop, laptop or mobile device using Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). ADE works fairly well with screen readers (and Apple Voiceover) on desktops and laptops. It does NOT work well with screen readers on mobile devices.
- Content-related limitations: Please be aware that there are some unusual cases when books or texts that have been uploaded to the Internet Archive will not be converted into a text. If there is a critical item in which you encounter this situation, please contact info@archive.org to get help with access.
How accessible is the Archive.org Site for people with disabilities?
Currently, archive.org has limited accessibility for people who have low vision, impaired mobility, or who are blind. This is because the site does not support screen readers well. Some font sizes are smaller than ideal for low-vision users. The site is accessible to most people with learning differences.
Other resources for people with disabilities
Librivox Audio
Bookshare
Learning Ally
BARD (National Library Service)
