Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Any advice for accessibly reading lesser-known books? (self.Blind)
submitted by Tiresias14
I’m blind without enough residual vision to read visually, so I typically use screen readers and audiobooks. I’m familiar with services like Bard and Bookshare, but I run into issues when I’m looking for recent releases or books that aren’t big bestsellers. Like, sometimes I just want a silly throwaway sci-fi or romance that just came out, but I’m not sure how to access books like that, books not big or requested enough to warrant an upload to bookshare or an audio narration. I know E Books are a thing, but I haven’t had any experience with them, and not sure how accessible they can be, or if it’s an easy process using them with voiceover. Does anyone have any advice or insight?
CloudyBeep 3 points 2y ago
It's actually really easy for Bookshare to get books from small publishers and unknown authors because there are fewer legal hurdles. They can get systems in place so that books are made available on the day of release. If you tell Bookshare what authors and publishers you'd like to see, you might be helping many other blind people who also want these books.
annibear 1 points 2y ago
Tbh I would go ahead and request from Bookshare. They're pretty good about communicating and getting requested books online in a timely fashion.
retrolental_morose 1 points 2y ago
Kindle on iOS, Windows and FireOS is very workable.
I find a lot of indi authors are happy to send me review copies too. :)
There's probably a roaring underground blind trade in ebooks somewhere but I suppose that's frowned upon ...
I find a lot of indi authors are happy to send me review copies too. :)
There's probably a roaring underground blind trade in ebooks somewhere but I suppose that's frowned upon ...
matt121134 1 points 2y ago
Oh you're right, it definitely is frowned upon. It also still exists, shocker, right? /s
I use audible mainly myself, or yeah just the kindle app for PC. I've never been able to get the android one to cooperate with talkback, but this is alright.
I use audible mainly myself, or yeah just the kindle app for PC. I've never been able to get the android one to cooperate with talkback, but this is alright.
oncenightvaler 1 points 2y ago
All I know is if you get a Kindle app there's an option for that to read with text to speech, so if you get a Kindle device, or if you had an Alexa device and installed the Kindle app on that, then that might be your best option for the types of books you want.
Alternatively, the Libby/Overdrive system I've heard is good, that's where one signs up for a library card and gets e-books and audio books digitally.
Alternatively, the Libby/Overdrive system I've heard is good, that's where one signs up for a library card and gets e-books and audio books digitally.
AllHarlowsEve 1 points 2y ago
I've read quite a few ebooks and it very much ranges from perfectly readable to so much like gibberish that I'm not sure how it's legible to sighted folks.
I've generally had good experiences with Kindle, and have bought indie books with no issue that read perfectly with the Kindle app for iPhone.
I've generally had good experiences with Kindle, and have bought indie books with no issue that read perfectly with the Kindle app for iPhone.
Tiresias14 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thanks a lot for the recommendation, I’ll try that out
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