Bookshare service (U.S.)

Students of higher education institutions can search for the books they need for their studies on the American service Bookshare. Bookshare can also be used by people who need to access professional literature. The service is free to use for Celia talking book users, Celia pays an annual fee. Books available through the service are primarily in English.

According to Bookshare’s membership conditions, people who have the following reading impairments can register for the service:

• dyslexia or learning disabilities or other reasons that make reading difficult
• visual impairments,
• physical disabilities.

How to start using Bookshare

1. Go to www.bookshare.org/and search for the book you want.
2. Not all the publications in Bookshare are available in Finland. Ask your university library to check the availability of the book using Celia’s preview account. The search results will then display the publications available to Celia customers.
3. If the university library indicates that the book you are looking for is available, you can then sign up to Bookshare. Please note that, by signing up to Bookshare, you are consenting to your information being sent outside the EU/EAA.
4. After registering, log in to your own Bookshare account. There you will find the Proof of Disability form. Ask your university representative or healthcare professional to sign it. You can read on Bookhare’s page what kind of professionals can confirm your reading impairment.
5. Send the signed form to Bookshare or ask your higher education institution to do so. The email address can be found on the form.
6. When Bookshare has processed your confirmation of your reading impairment, Bookshare will send you an e-mail informing you that you can borrow books as soon as the invoicing has been agreed upon. In order for Celia to pay the annual fee, send a proof of your right to study to Celia  as an attachment to the security email. Note! The service requires strong identification in the Suomi.fi online service. Proof of your right to study could be a printout of your information on university’s student register or a photograph or photocopy of a student ID that shows what institution you are studying at and which has a current academic year sticker attached.
7. Celia will send a survey at the end of autumn, whether you want to continue using the Bookshare service in the current academic year. If you want to continue using the service, send a new proof of your right to study to Celia.
8. You can read books with the Bookshare Reader. Other ways of reading, such as listening on a tablet or smartphone, can be found in the Partner Tools section.