Laurie Davidson, CELA's Executive Director, and other members of the CELA team share information for public library staff about the transition away from CDs, options for CD users and CELA's plan to support users and libraries. This webinar was recorded on April 29, 2025.

Recording: Information Session: CELA CD transition for public library staff (YouTube)
Transcript: Information Session: CELA CD transition for public library staff (Word)

In this 60 minute webinar, library staff will discover how to transition patrons with print disabilities from reading CELA’s audiobooks and magazines on CD, to a variety of players and apps. We will guide you through this change so you can continue to offer accessible reading materials through your library’s CELA account. 

Recording: Coming soon
Transcript: Coming soon
Slides: How to support library patrons to read CELA’s audiobooks and magazines (PowerPoint)

This webinar is designed to give you an overview of CELA's services for libraries to offer to their patrons with print disabilities. This webinar was recorded in July 2019.

Recording: CELA orientation webinar (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA orientation webinar (Word)

This CELA Frontline staff training webinar is intended to give a basic overview of CELA service for staff who may not be the primary CELA contact at your library but who need to know the broad outlines of the program. This webinar was recorded in December 2019.

Recording: CELA frontline staff training webinar (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA frontline staff training webinar (Word)

People with print disabilities use a variety of mainstream and specialized technologies to read. Understanding these options is important because one size does not fit all, and choice of technology can help empower readers. This webinar introduces viewers to key accessible reading technologies used by library patrons with print disabilities including text-to-speech software, apps that support literacy, technologies that make reading accessible to those with motor or physical challenges, and accessible reading apps for mobile devices. This webinar was recorded in November 2023.

Recording: CELA and accessible reading technologies, devices, and apps (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA and accessible reading technologies, devices, and apps (Word)
Slides: CELA and accessible reading technologies, devices, and apps (PowerPoint)

This webinar will introduce the CELA Educator Access program which allows public libraries to offer educators at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels in their community access to CELA services on behalf of students with print disabilities. This webinar is for both educators and public library staff. This webinar was recorded in September 2020.

Recording: CELA Educator Access webinar (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA Educator Access webinar (Word)

The webinar aims to explore the evolving landscape of audiobook accessibility, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in making commercial audiobooks more inclusive for all readers, with special attention to individuals with print disabilities. Drawing insights from the Accessible Commercial Audiobooks Project, the webinar will discuss the current state of audiobook practices, the needs of readers with and without print disabilities, common barriers, and practical solutions to enhance accessibility in audiobook production—both in the short and long term—while keeping in mind the realities of the commercial audiobook industry. This webinar was recorded in March 2025.

Recording: Making Audiobooks Accessible: Challenges and Opportunities (YouTube)
Transcript: Making Audiobooks Accessible: Challenges and Opportunities (Word)

Would you like to make your summer reading club accessible for kids with print and other disabilities, but aren’t sure where to start? This webinar will teach you practical accessibility tips for your programming, outreach and reading activities. By learning to take an inclusive approach, you will be inviting more patrons to participate in your summer fun. This webinar was recorded in March 2025.

Recording: Summer reading for everyone! Make your library’s club accessible for kids with disabilities (YouTube)
Transcript: Summer reading for everyone! Make your library’s club accessible for kids with disabilities (Word document)
Slides: Summer reading for everyone! Make your library’s club accessible for kids with disabilities (PowerPoint)

Have you ever wondered whether someone was eligible to use CELA’s collection of accessible reading formats? Library staff are essential in helping to make sure that people living in Canada of all abilities get access to reading materials in the formats that they need. Equally important is the crucial role they play in ensuring that use of the CELA collection is restricted to those who have a print disability, which is a learning, physical, or visual disability that prevents someone from reading conventional print. This workshop will help library staff to better understand eligibility, be confident in explaining it to their patrons and colleagues and increase CELA usage through their library by promoting it to all community members who may be eligible for CELA.

Recording: All about print disabilities: CELA eligibility workshop for library staff (YouTube)
Transcript: All about print disabilities: CELA eligibility workshop for library staff (Word document)
Slides: All about print disabilities: CELA eligibility workshop for library staff (PowerPoint)

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to support readers with print disabilities, including learning disabilities, vision loss, and physical disabilities. You’ll receive an introduction to different reading formats and the features that make them more accessible. Formats will include ebooks, audiobooks, braille, decodable books, hi-lo books, and graphic novels. Watch to discover a broader approach to reading and literacy development. This webinar was recorded in November 2024.

Recording: How do I support struggling readers?: An introduction to accessible literacy and reading formats (YouTube)
Transcript: How do I support struggling readers?: An introduction to accessible literacy and reading formats (Word document)
Slides: How do I support struggling readers?: An introduction to accessible literacy and reading formats (PowerPoint)
Resource: Accessible literacy resource (PDF)

Learn about ways to promote CELA and remove barriers to information about accessible reading resources. Discover resources CELA has available to help your library promote accessible reading materials and services to your community. This webinar was recorded in May 2024.

Recording: Don’t keep CELA a secret! Tips for promoting your accessible reading resources (YouTube)
Transcript: Don’t keep CELA a secret! Tips for promoting your accessible reading resources (Word)

This workshop walks public library staff through the process of registering their patrons with print disabilities for CELA. CELA staff will demonstrate how to complete the form and the next steps once the person is registered. The registration demonstration will be done through the presenter sharing their screen. This webinar was recorded in January 2024.

Recording: CELA workshop for libraries: Registering library patrons with print disabilities (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA workshop for libraries: Registering library patrons with print disabilities (Word)

CELA is excited to be launching our new service for the Envoy Connect, an affordable and simple-to-use audiobook player as a new delivery option this spring. This webinar will get you up to speed on everything you need to know to support your library patrons using it. This webinar was recorded in May 2023.

Recording: Envoy Connect webinar for libraries (YouTube)
Transcript: Envoy Connect webinar for libraries (Word)

Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) looks for ways to reduce barriers, improve access to services, and bring people together in an inclusive environment. During the pandemic, SPL implemented new training, practices, and guidelines that empowered all front-line employees to provide comprehensive inclusive service, eliminating the need for a separate, specialized service point for people with print disabilities. Join members of SPL's Welcoming Initiatives team as they share experiences planning and implementing these changes, and what impacts they are seeing at the library.

Presenters: Amanda D. Lepage, Senior Manager, Welcoming Initiatives at Saskatoon Public Library; Patricia Meddins, Welcoming Initiatives Librarian at Saskatoon Public Library.

Recording: Developing an inclusive library service for patrons with print disabilities (YouTube)
Transcript: Developing an inclusive library service for patrons with print disabilities (Word)

This webinar is all about library services for people who are blind or have low vision. We are pleased to have two Vision Rehabilitation Specialists, Leanne Baarda and Sue Marsh-Woods from Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada share their experience and expertise working with clients. This webinar was recorded in January 2022.

Recording: All about visual disabilities (YouTube)
Transcript: All about visual disabilities (Word)

CELA welcomes guest speaker Christine Staley, Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada, who will present a webinar about best practices libraries can develop to support patrons with reading disabilities. Participants will learn more about reading disabilities and the impact on reading and writing, strategies and educational support for children and families, tips for building dyslexia-friendly collections, including decodable books, programming considerations and tips for creating written communications. This webinar was recorded in Dec. 2020.

Recording: All about reading disabilities (YouTube)
Transcript: All about reading disabilities (Word)

This webinar will present an overview of CELA’s collections for kids and teens who cannot read print due to a learning, visual or physical disability, also known as print disabilities. Participants will also learn techniques to make story-times and other activities inviting to kids with disabilities and will feature how to promote accessible services for kids and teens in your community. This webinar was recorded in May 2021.

Recording: CELA and accessible library services for kids and teens (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA and accessible library services for kids and teens (Word)

This webinar will give an overview of how designates can support CELA patrons to access audio books, braille and printbraille.

Recording: CELA for designates (YouTube)
Transcript: CELA for designates (Word)