The Library Page - Summer 2025

Summer 2025
Welcome to The Library Page!

This newsletter is designed to give you quick access to the news you need to know from CELA. In this edition, we are covering everything for our shift away from CDs to launching our smart speaker service and supporting summer reading clubs.

Let’s get started!

CD transition deadline

Multiple CDs laid out next to each other on a purple table. As of July 31, CELA will no longer produce or mail CDs to our users. But we know users may still need and possibly ask you for support as they make a shift in the ways they read. You can find many resources on our CD Transition page, including:

Training opportunities for libraries and users
Recordings of our webinars about transitioning to new ways of reading
A new video about how to burn a CELA book to a CD.

Effective July 15, CELA libraries and users will no longer be able to place holds for CDs and CDs will be removed as an option from our website. This will allow us to produce and distribute remaining requests before the July 31 deadline.

Update on deposit collections

A stack of CD cases. Deposit collections will also cease, effective July 31. Libraries can keep and continue to circulate their existing CD collections to users with print disabilities. And just a reminder, there’s no need to track your CD usage stats as of July 31.

New smart speaker service!

A smart speaker on a desk with an alarm clock, a pair of glasses and a computer keyboard. We are excited to have launched a new smart speaker service. Patrons can now use the free Accessible Reading Canada skill and their Alexa device to read CELA books using their smart speaker. Intrigued? Learn more on our website or in our training videos.

Your accessible summer reading club

A group of children in a library each holding a book and observing a librarian that's assisting them with reading. We know you are already immersed in your summer reading club. Thank you for all the work you do! Don’t forget accessibility in all the activity. Find accessible versions of books for the TD Summer Reading Club, the BC Summer Reading Club and the New Brunswick Summer Reading club on our website.