Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Internet Archive expands access to millions of books for people with disabilities (blog.archive.org)
submitted by stereomatch
stereomatch [OP] 3 points 4y ago
Evidently this is now available worldwide. Individuals just need to show verification by one of the approved organizations.
You first set up a free account with Internet Archive, using the "Request a virtual library card" option, and then fill out the form requesting access.
You first set up a free account with Internet Archive, using the "Request a virtual library card" option, and then fill out the form requesting access.
fastfinge 2 points 4y ago
Also, when trying to verify with bookshare, I get an error after 90 seconds telling me my upload appears to be spam. So...yeah. My opinion of the Internet Archive remains pretty much unchanged: nice ideas, poorly implemented, with little or no care.
bleeblat 1 points 4y ago
I got verified with my bookshare subscription, but I've no idea what to do with it. They don't even seem to have working links in a usable place, unless I'm missing something.
FiverNZen 1 points 4y ago
What are you trying to do? I’ve been a user of bookshare for years and have gotten countless textbooks and books for pleasure so maybe I can help? :) I’m a jaws user if that helps.
fastfinge 1 points 4y ago
Did they ever fix the dumpster fire that is the archive website for browsing audio collections, though? That was rolled out without anyone giving a damn about screen reader users, and stayed that way for two years before I eventually just gave up on the archive.
derrekjthompson 1 points 4y ago
Strange. I've been using archive to listen to old radio shows for years and never had issues with the site. Not going to sign up for this though because I doubt they have many or any books that Bookshare doesn't already have.
fastfinge 1 points 4y ago
They actually have tons of stuff that bookshare doesn't have. However, it's the same broken search interface with the random headings ("i17?") and meaningless inexplicable numbers everywhere. Also, now they've fixed my signup problems, but now it seems they're not actually generating the encrypted daisy downloads. Sigh.
Also, I wound up paying for rusc because I found the archive's interface so awful. The download links aren't obvious (what will download what, when?) and the play/pause/next/etc buttons on the webpage aren't labeled, making previewing anything impossible.
Heck, even the download page for a book, especially intended for the print disabled, has over a dozen unlabeled buttons on it.
Also, I wound up paying for rusc because I found the archive's interface so awful. The download links aren't obvious (what will download what, when?) and the play/pause/next/etc buttons on the webpage aren't labeled, making previewing anything impossible.
Heck, even the download page for a book, especially intended for the print disabled, has over a dozen unlabeled buttons on it.
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