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

Various software and tools can be used to enhance the accessibility of eBooks. The options will depend on the eBook format, whether you are reading it online or downloading it, features you would like to use and personal preference. Our recommendations are below, along with alternatives under 'More accessibility options'.

Before you begin we recommend that you:

Use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. This is freely available and on all Library PCs. Microsoft Edge is our recommended tool for reading online format and downloaded PDF eBooks aloud, and changing the background colour and text size of online format eBooks.
Install Adobe Reader if using your own computer. This is freely available and on all Library PCs. See the Library website Software page for more information. Adobe Reader is our recommended tool for changing the background colour and text size of downloaded PDF eBooks.
Install Adobe Digital Editions if using your own computer. This is freely available and on all Library PCs. See the Library website Software page for more information. Adobe Digital Editions is our recommended tool for opening downloaded EPUB eBooks.

Accessibility information from the provider:

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

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.

Read aloud:

If Edge doesn't read the file, this may be because it is an image PDF (i.e. a picture of text). You can try converting it into an accessible PDF first using SensusAccess (subject to the copyright restrictions detailed on the SensusAccess page).

Downloaded EPUB opened in Adobe Digital Editions:

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.

Change background colour:

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.

Downloaded PDF opened in Adobe Reader:

You may be able to change the background colour by opening the PDF 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. 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?. If you get a message at the top of the page which reads "This file claims compliance with the PDF/A standard and has been opened read-only to prevent modification", click Enable Editing and click OK. If this does not work, you can change the colour of your screen using the Screen masking tool in Read&Write software which is available on all Library PCs or you may have access to it through your Disabled Student Allowance. Alternatively, you can use the Screen Masking tool available in the free Read&Write for Google Chrome plug-in. You can also use the Study Support Software Finder to identify free tools for changing screen colours.

Downloaded 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

Change text size:

Read online:

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.

You can also 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).

Downloaded 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. If you get a message at the top of the page which reads "This file claims compliance with the PDF/A standard and has been opened read-only to prevent modification", click Enable Editing and click OK. Then you can change the page zoom from 10% - 6400% using the plus and minus symbols on the top bar. You may be able to make the text reflow (automatically adjust itself to fit on the page at the new zoom level) by following these reflow instructions. Unfortunately, with some titles you may find that the Reflow setting doesn't work, and the spaces between words may be lost when it is activated.

Downloaded 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.

More accessibility options:

Zooming:

You can change the zoom level of a 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.
You may be able to make text on your screen appear larger using inbuilt features of your operating system.
Microsoft Edge can be used to change the zoom level of PDFs but the text does not reflow (automatically adjust to fit on the page at the new zoom level).

Colours:

You may also be able to change colours using your web browser or operating system settings.
For additional accessibility options for PDFs e.g. changing font colour, see: Accessibility tools within Adobe Reader

Software and tools:

Texthelp Read & Write software (which is installed on all Library PCs) provides accessibility tools
There is also a browser toolbar Read & Write for Google Chrome (also works in Microsoft Edge) which offers many of the functions of the full software
See the Assistive Software page for more information about Read & Write and other tools

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