Eligibility and signing up
Who can read books from CELA?
CELA materials are available to your students with print disabilities. 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.
Who can sign up for CELA's Educator Access Program?
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’s aides/educational assistants, teacher librarians, learning resource teachers, other special education teachers, or anyone who supports students with print disabilities in a formal educational setting.
In British Columbia, educators are eligible for the CELA Educator Access Program if they have a library card from a CELA Member Library and work at a school or academic institution located within the service area of a CELA Member Library.
Students living in areas without a CELA Member Library may only access titles in CELA’s collection (not Bookshare titles) in digital formats.
For families who home school, you may access CELA’s collection by adding your name as a designate when you register your child or children with a print disability. Registration form for individuals with print disabilities
How to register for the Educator Access Program
- Get a library card from a CELA Member Library. If your public library offers institutional or educator borrower cards, you may use that card to register. Your public library card is only needed to register for CELA. Items you access from CELA’s collection are issued through your separate CELA account, not through your public library.
- Complete the online Educator Access Program registration form. Please note that your school's address must be in an area served by a CELA Member Library.
- Add access to Bookshare titles for your school and students by completing the CELA Educator Access Terms of Use form
Students may register for their own lifetime CELA membership. They may subscribe with their own public library card number by completing the self-registration form.