What accessibility features are available for Ebook Central (from Proquest) eBooks?

You may find the Ebook Central (from ProQuest) accessibility statement helpful. 

Texthelp Read & Write software (both of which is installed on all Library PCs) provides accessibility tools (see the Library website Software page for more information).

Some accessibility features are available through Adobe Reader (freely available and installed on all Library PCs). 

The accessibility options available will depend on whether you are reading the eBook online or if you have downloaded it to your computer.

If you decide to read the eBook online, it will be displayed in online PDF format. If you decide to download the entire eBook, for some books, you can choose whether to download it as EPUB or PDF. 

If you decide to download an individual chapter from the eBook, this will download as a PDF file, and will have more accessibility options available to you than if you downloaded the entire book.

If Accessibility Mode is activated, eBooks are also available to read online in HTML format which may offer more accessibility options. If you would like ‘Accessibility Mode’ to be activated for your Ebook Central account, please follow the instructions on How To Turn Accessibility Mode On (or Off) on Ebook Central.

How can I have an eBook read aloud to me?

Read online with 'Accessibility Mode' activated:

Microsoft Edge browser Read Aloud tool:

You can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: What is “Read Aloud” and how do I use it?

Texthelp Read & Write and Texthelp Read & Write plugin for Google Chrome:

You can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: How can I have online text read aloud to me using Read&Write software?

Read online without 'Accessibility Mode':

Texthelp Read & Write and Texthelp Read & Write plugin for Google Chrome:

You can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: How can I have unselectable text read aloud to me using Read & Write software?

Download:

PDF download:
Microsoft Edge browser Read Aloud tool:

You can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: What is “Read Aloud” and how do I use it?

Adobe Reader:

The download will open in your web browser, which does not give access to the Adobe Reader settings you need to use to have the eBook read aloud to you. First, use the Save or Download icon to save the eBook to your computer, and then open it from there with Adobe Reader. Then you can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: How can I have a PDF read aloud to me using Adobe Reader?

Texthelp Read & Write:

The download will open in your web browser. First, use the Save or Download icon to save the eBook to your computer. You can then open it from there with Texthelp Read & Write. Please see these instructions: How can I have a PDF document read aloud to me using Texthelp Read & Write software?

Texthelp Read & Write plugin for Google Chrome:

The download will open in your web browser. You can have it read aloud by following these instructions: How can I have a PDF file read aloud using OrbitDoc PDF reader?

EPUB download opened in Adobe Digital Editions:
Texthelp Read & Write and Texthelp Read & Write plugin for Google Chrome:

You can have the eBook read aloud to you by following these instructions: How can I have unselectable text read aloud to me using Read & Write software?

It is not possible to have the eBooks read aloud with the Texthelp Read & Write plugin for Google Chrome.

How can I change the font colour in an eBook?

In addition to the specific instructions below, you may also be able to change font colours using your web browser or operating system settings.

Read online:

There is no inbuilt option to change the font colour. You may be able to change font colours using your web browser or operating system settings.

Download:

PDF opened in Adobe Reader:

The download will open in your web browser, which does not give access to the Adobe Reader settings you need to use to change the font colour. First, use the Save or Download icon to save the eBook to your computer. Then open it from there with Adobe Reader and follow these instructions: How can I change the font colour using Adobe Reader?

EPUB opened in Adobe Digital Editions:

There is no inbuilt option to change the font colour. You may be able to change font colours using your web browser or operating system settings.

How can I change the background colour in an eBook?

In addition to the specific instructions below, you may also be able to change background colours using your web browser or operating system settings

Read online:

There is no inbuilt option to change the background colour. You may be able to change background colours using your web browser or operating system settings.

Download:

PDF opened in Adobe Reader:

The download will open in your web browser, which does not give access to the Adobe Reader settings you need to use to change the background colour. First, use the Save or Download icon to save the eBook to your computer. Then open it from there with Adobe Reader and follow these instructions: How can I change the background colour in Adobe Reader?

EPUB opened in Adobe Digital Editions:

There is no inbuilt option to change the background colour. You may be able to change background colours using your web browser or operating system settings

How can I change the text size in an eBook?

In addition to the specific instructions below, you may also be able to make text on your screen appear larger using inbuilt features of your operating system.

Read online:

Inbuilt zoom options:

There is an inbuilt zoom tool which offers 4 zoom levels - click the magnifying glass symbols  on the top toolbar. When the zoom level is changed, the page takes a long time to respond. The text does not reflow (automatically adjust to fit on the page at the new zoom level) when the text size is changed.

Browser settings:

You can change the zoom level of the whole web page using your browser. To zoom in, press Ctrl (Windows) or command (Mac) and the + key. To zoom out, press Ctrl/command and the - key.  Press Ctrl/command and 0 to set the zoom level back to default. When you zoom the text does not reflow (automatically adjust to fit on the page at the new zoom level).

Download:

PDF opened in Adobe Reader:

The download will open in your web browser, which does not give access to the Adobe Reader settings you need to use to alter the zoom level. First, use the Save or Download icon to save the eBook to your computer, and then open it from there with Adobe Reader. Then you can change the page zoom from 10% - 6400% using the plus and minus symbols on the top bar. You can make the text reflow (automatically adjust itself to fit on the page at the new zoom level) by following these reflow instructions.

EPUB opened in Adobe Digital Editions:

There are 5 different zoom levels available. You can change the level by clicking on the AA button on the toolbar in the top right-hand corner and selecting the size you require. You can also change the zoom level by clicking on Reading on the top toolbar, then EPUB Text Size and clicking on Increase or Decrease. You can also zoom in by pressing the Ctrl and + keys and, zoom out by pressing the Ctrl and - keys. The text reflows (automatically adjusts to fit on the page at the new zoom level) when the text size is changed.

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