Have a student with a print disability? Connect them to accessible reading!
If you’re a Canadian educator supporting a student with a print disability like vision loss, you can receive free access to thousands of accessible reading materials for your students through your public library’s CELA service, including Bookshare.
What are the benefits of joining the Educator access program?
- Help ensure that your students with print disabilities have timely access to available materials in alternate formats like audio, accessible e-books and braille.
- Easily facilitate access to valuable service for students who experience barriers in using their public library independently.
- Learn more about CELA and Bookshare so you can show your students how to borrow and use the books on their own.
- Introduce your students to valuable resources they can use in the classroom and beyond for years to come.
Very necessary for our students. Keep bringing us more avenues to increase literacy for our students! They want to read and get bored quickly if there isn’t a diverse, rich cache of books and other media to enjoy
– Educator on using CELA and Bookshare
Who qualifies?
Educators who work with students with print disabilities in an elementary, secondary or post-secondary institution are eligible for this program. Educators can include teachers, teacher librarians, educational assistants, and special education teachers, anyone who supports students with print disabilities in a formal educational setting.
Print disabilities are disabilities that make it difficult or impossible to read ordinary printed books, and include visual disabilities, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. More information about print disabilities.
How do I sign up for CELA educator access?
- Get a library card from a CELA Member Library.
- Complete the online Educator access program registration form.
- Add access to Bookshare titles for your school and students by completing the CELA Educator Access Terms of Use Form.
How do I access the Bookshare collection?
To access Bookshare titles through CELA, you must complete and sign the Educator Terms of Use and submit it online to CELA. You’ll find the upload option in the My Account section of the website.
What’s included in the CELA educator access program?
- Books, magazines and newspapers in audio, braille and e-text
- 150 titles within a 30 day period. For printbraille titles, you may borrow up to 10 printbraille books at a time. If that number is reached, future requests will be put on hold.
- Free access to Bookshare
- Training videos, tutorials and webinars
Which devices do CELA books work on?
CELA books may be read on DAISY players, tablets and on a computer. The Compatible devices and software page provides a full list of reading options.
Can my students read CELA books on a Chromebook?
Yes. Chromebook supports the EPUB file format. EPUB books can be read on a Chromebook using Google’s Read & Write program. The CELA catalogue has some EPUB titles and the Bookshare catalogue has a wide variety of EPUB titles to choose from. CELA patrons can get access to Bookshare by submitting the Proof of Disability form and educators can get access to Bookshare for their students by completing the Terms of Use form. You can also download the Dolphin EasyReader app onto Chromebooks launched after 2019. The app provides an easy way to load books right onto your Chromebook.
How do I receive and return physical materials like braille books?
Visit our Delivery options page for more information about how materials are delivered and returned.
How can I share information about CELA with colleagues, students and their families?
- Request free CELA Educator Access flyers. The flyer is offered in French and English. Email members@celalibrary.ca to order or download a print-ready PDF
- Add a link to CELA’s website to your school’s website
- Share a post about CELA educator access on your Facebook page or newsletter
- Talk to staff at your public library about how you can work together to promote CELA
How will CELA and Bookshare protect my privacy?
Visit our Privacy policy page for details on how CELA preserves your right to privacy.
Visit the Bookshare privacy policy page for information on how Bookshare protects your personal information.
May I load CELA books onto a shared network at my school, e.g. Google classroom?
CELA books cannot be uploaded to a school network, even if access is limited only to students with print disabilities.
Can homeschooling families sign up for the educator access program?
Homeschooling families should register the eligible child or children for an individual CELA and Bookshare account; the teaching parent may act as a designate on the child’s account and can support the child’s use of the CELA and Bookshare service.
Can educators who work with students with a print disability borrow from our library’s deposit collection or other CELA materials in our library?
Yes. Ensure that any educators using these materials understand that they are for the use of people with a print disability. We suggest providing educators who borrow CELA materials from your library with a copy of CELA’s terms of use for educators.
May I remediate, transcribe, or emboss files from the CELA or Bookshare collection for my students with a print disability?
Yes, you may remediate, transcribe or emboss files from the CELA or Bookshare collection to meet the specific needs of your students with a print disability. You must not modify the content of the book and you must keep all copyright statements, fingerprinting and watermarking included in the files.
More questions? Email or call the CELA Contact Centre at help@celalibrary.ca or by phone at 1-855-655-2273.