Public library services for Canadians with print disabilities
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CELAPublic library services for Canadians with print disabilities

Centre for Equitable Library Access
Public library service for Canadians with print disabilities

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Collections

CELA collection

Through your public library you have access to CELA’s growing collection of 1 million items, which include newspapers, magazines, and books in accessible formats such as audio, e-text and braille.

If there is a book you would like to read but it’s not available through CELA, please fill out our title suggestion form to recommend we add it to our collection.

Books on a shelf in a library

Bookshare

You may also have access to books from Bookshare, a US-based accessible online library for people with print disabilities. Bookshare offers more than 1 million titles, including books for all ages, best sellers, and more. The books are available in e-text and e-braille. Most of the audio book versions are in synthetic speech (computer voice) and some are human-narrated.

Bookshare creates its accessible books by automatically converting book files provided by publishers. This automatic process makes large numbers of books available quickly and in a wide variety of accessible formats. However, because humans do not check the books, you may find errors in the synthetic audio or computer-generated braille. In addition, books which rely heavily on illustrations, charts, and graphs may not be usable because this material is generally presented by the publishers as images which cannot be converted automatically. 

Proof of disability

If you wish to access the Bookshare collection, you must provide a proof of disability, as required by Bookshare's agreements with publishers. CELA manages the proof of disability process and ensures the privacy of your personal information. If you prefer not to submit a proof of disability, you will still have access to the CELA collection.

Download the proof of disability form, complete it, and upload the form within the My Account section of the CELA website. CELA will confirm with you when the form is processed.

Educators: Download the Educator Terms of Use form, complete it, and upload the form within the My Account section of the CELA website. CELA will let you know when the form has been processed.

Collection highlights

Canadian content

We have a treasure trove of Canadian fiction and non-fiction, both current and older, including regional content. Browse by category.

Find Canadian award winners and finalists

Canadian novels - Do not save we have nothing, Washington Black, Dear Life and Ravensong

Newspapers

You can find 50 national and regional newspapers, updated daily, on our website. Our papers are easy to read with adaptive technology because images and advertising have been stripped out. All papers are organized the same way, with articles in sections, similar to the print edition.

Browse newspapers

Disabilities collection

Our collection includes books that can help people with disabilities develop independent and community living skills, such as cooking, gardening and using technology. We have self-help books to help you cope with issues such as depression and social isolation. You can also find key works on the social, political, legal and economic aspects of disabilities.

Languages

Our collection is in English and French. Through our partnership with the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), patrons and libraries can find recent bestsellers and notable francophone authors. We offer monthly audio magazines in Italian, Mandarin and Polish. We can also help your library find books in other languages for you through libraries in other countries.

Find books in other languages

Community reads

You can participate in book clubs and other events where communities come together to read. Through your public library and CELA, you can find books for events such as CBC Canada Reads, One Book, the TD Summer Reading Club and other programs for children and youth.

Magazines

CELA offers a growing collection of DAISY magazines, which are available on the day they are published. We also offer narrated versions of some popular magazines which are available in our online digital library and on a monthly CD.

Browse DAISY magazines

FAQ

How is CELA responding to COVID?

Answer: The health and safety of our staff and patrons is our primary concern.

Read about our COVID plan.

Go to Frequently Asked Questions page

About us

The Centre for Equitable Library Access, CELA, is an accessible library service, providing books and other materials to Canadians with print disabilities.

  • Learn more about CELA
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Suggestion Box

CELA welcomes all feedback and suggestions:

  • Join our Educator Advisory Group
  • Apply for our User Advisory Group
  • Share your story or ideas for our site and services
  • Suggest a title for the collection
  • Report a problem with a book

Contact Us

Email us at help@celalibrary.ca or call us at 1-855-655-2273 for support.

Go to contact page for full details

Copyright 2023 CELA. All rights reserved.