Bookshare
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Updated February, 2013
AMP Name: Bookshare
Address: 480 S. California Avenue, Suite 201; Palo Alto, CA 94306-1609
Phone: (650) 644-3400
Fax: (650) 475-1066
Web: http://www.bookshare.org
Who should be contacted if there are questions?
Send an email to support [at] bookshare [dot] org or membership [at] bookshare [dot] org.
Based on the National Library Service regulations at 36 C.F.R. § 701.6(b), which student certification categories do you serve?
Blind
Visually Impaired
Physical Limitations
Reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction
Describe the certification requirements and how these are verified and maintained.
We use the Chafee qualification rules for Bookshare. For NIMAC books, a student must be Chafee qualified and enrolled in a K–12 program with an IEP.
If a student qualifies, how is the student registered?
Go to http://www.bookshare.org and follow the steps to create a sponsored (i.e., organizational) membership for your student. With an organizational membership, authorized teachers or staff members (sponsors) may download books for their registered students (members). In addition, a student can have an individual membership, authorized by his or her parents (if the student is under 18 years of age). In addition to or in lieu of being included on an organizational account, qualified students 18 years of age and older can sign up for Bookshare on their own.
What types of memberships are available?
Individual student accounts
Institutional/organizational accounts
For further information, go to https://www.bookshare.org/_/membership/overview.
Describe your membership requirements:
Individual student accounts
Institutional/organizational accounts
For further information, go to https://www.bookshare.org/_/membership/qualifications.
Do you require membership fees for individual student accounts?
Yes
No
Depends on circumstances
No charge for qualified students of any age: K–12, college, or continuing education. Qualified non-students pay $50/year with an additional one-time sign-up fee of $25 [at this writing]. For further information, go to https://www.bookshare.org/membershipOptions.
Do you require membership fees for institutional/organizational accounts?
Yes
No
Depends on circumstances
Currently, Bookshare offers free memberships to qualifying U.S. students and the organizations that serve them through an award from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Organizations serving qualified non-students can purchase book blocks. Learn more at https://www.bookshare.org/membershipOptions#OrganizationalMemberships.
What is the process to access these services?
Sign up qualified students. Both organizational and individual memberships are recommended. Search or browse for books, or help students find books. Members can then read books with Bookshare's free tools, including the Bookshare Web Reader, which allows individual members to read directly within an Internet Browser. Based on the terms of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that established the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), accessing NIMAC books is different than accessing other Bookshare media. Bookshare's NIMAC-sourced books are only available for U.S. K–12 students with print disabilities as defined in the Chafee Amendment to copyright law, and who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). To ensure that Bookshare complies with the above limitations, transcribers, adults with print disabilities, and private schools serving students who do not have an IEP from a public K–12 education agency that states that the individual needs textbooks in accessible formats, cannot download these books. For more information, refer to the NIMAC Textbook Questions section in the Bookshare Support Center.
Please provide a link to your web site where step-by-step instructions on how to access your services are provided.
For further information, see Membership Options at http://www.bookshare.org/membershipOptions.
What services do you provide?
XML conversion
Original transcription
Downloads
Scanning
NIMAS file conversion
Other (please specify): Training in the use of accessible instructional materials and Bookshare (visit https://www.bookshare.org/_/help/training/upcomingWebinars)
Who can use these services?
Authorized Users (AUs)
State agencies (SEAs)
Local education agencies (LEAs)
Teachers
Others: Qualified Members
What specialized formats are provided?
BrailleEmbossed contracted braille
Embossed uncontracted braille
Electronic contracted braille
Electronic uncontracted braille
-.brf (braille-ready format) in conformance with BANA guidelines
-.brf (braille-ready format) other
Tactile graphics
Hard copy
Electronic
Other (please specify):
Large PrintLarge print (over-sized textbook)
Font sizes (please specify):
Large print (standard-sized textbook)
Font sizes (please specify):
Audio
-.mp3
-.mp4
-.wav
DAISY 2002 HTML (digital talking book [DTB]) with—
Text
Images
Image descriptions
Human-voice audio
Pre-recorded synthetic audio
Other (please specify):
DAISY 2005 HTML (digital talking book [DTB]) with—
Text
Images
Image descriptions [limited number of books only]
Human-voice audio
Pre-recorded synthetic audio
Other (please specify): Text-to-speech
Digital text
-.pdf
-.rtf
Word
HTML
ePUB 2
ePUB 3
Other (please specify): -.txt (out-of-copyright works)
File formats accessible on mobile platforms
iOS
Android
Windows phone
Symbian
Blackberry OS
Other (please specify):
Are apps needed to use the files on mobile devices? If so, where are they acquired and what is the cost?
Yes. Our iOS reader, Read2Go, can be purchased through the Apple App Store for $19.99 [at this writing] (a volume discount is available for schools—see http://www.apple.com/itunes/education/ for more information). Also, a free Android accessible book reader called Go Read is available in the Google Play Store..
Is assistive technology such as a computer, device, and/or software program needed to deliver the files to the student in a student-ready format? If so, please explain.
Bookshare books may be read on a computer without specialized reading tools, using Bookshare Web Reader, as well as with compatible assistive technologies. Individual Bookshare members can read books in an Internet Browser using Bookshare Web Reader, which is launched when the member selects the "Read Now" link next to their desired book in Bookshare. The Bookshare Web Reader takes advantage of accessibility features in the Google Chrome browser that facilitate multi-modal reading (hearing the words read aloud as they are highlighted on the screen). Bookshare Web Reader will also read books in Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox, but these browsers do not support the self-voicing or word highlighting functionality at this time. Alternatively, Bookshare books can be read with a DAISY reader, a screen reader (such as JAWS or Window-Eyes), an MP3 player, a DAISY Audio device, or an assistive technology device that reads refreshable Braille (-.brf). We provide two free DAISY reader software applications, Victor Reader Soft Bookshare Edition and Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition. We also provide all files in -.brf, .mp3, and DAISY Audio. Works which are not copyrighted (i.e., in the public domain or licensed through Creative Commons) are also available in -.txt and -.html. Once a file has been downloaded by or for a registered member, a user may convert the file to any format that works best for them, including -.html. The file may not be shared with another user. Go to http://www.bookshare.org/readingTools for further information.
If assistive technology is needed, do you provide it? Is it provided with membership or for purchase?
We provide two free DAISY reader software applications, Victor ReaderSoft Bookshare Edition and Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition, to registered members. In addition, Individual Members can read books in an Internet browser with the free Bookshare Web Reader. Members wishing to read books on Android devices can download Go Read from the Google Play store, and Members who have iOS devices, including the iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone, can download Read2Go from the Apple App store for $19.99 [at this writing] (a volume discount is available for schools—see http://www.apple.com/itunes/education/ for more information).
What assistive technology from other sources might be needed?
We provide free technology to our Members, and in most cases our book files are compatible with other assistive technology already being used by Bookshare Members.
How long will it take to get the specialized format after an order is placed?
Books in the NIMAC database can be added to Bookshare in one to two weeks. Other educational books can be added in one to two months. Requests for books not needed for school go on a wish list and can be processed by volunteers within a few months.
Do you have a digital rights management (DRM) system? What are your policies?
Yes, we do. We electronically watermark our books as being from Bookshare, and we digitally fingerprint them as having been downloaded by or for a given member. We also require proof of disability and a signed user agreement. All books include their copyright notice.
When the instructional materials are no longer needed by the student, do they need to be returned?
Once they have been downloaded, members may keep them. But they may not be transferred to anyone else, including another user. Each member must have books downloaded solely for their own use so that the DRM can be in compliance.
How will confidential information about the student be protected?
We require proof of disability and a valid email address. We do not share this information with anyone, and we do not compile information on books downloaded by individuals. We comply with all FERPA policies regarding student privacy.