Each year increasing numbers of students with visual impairments and other print disabilities are requesting electronic text, commonly referred to as e-text, versions of books and other print-based media. Whether it be the latest version of a Biology textbook or Homer's the Iliad, finding e-text in a timely manner can be a challenge for educators.
Below are examples of Internet resources for both digital libraries, which contain public domain texts, and subscription-based libraries.
- Â (NLS), through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS administers a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail.
- is a subscription-based service with over 125 newspapers and magazines and over 26,100 books available for subscribers to download in DAISY or the Braille digital format, BRF.
- offers over 49,000 free ebooks.
As you search for electronic texts, keep in mind that just because a text is available electronically does not assure that it is in a format that is accessible for people with visual and/or print disabilities. Many states are adopting accessible textbooks laws which include guidelines for acceptable accessible file formats. For more information on this topic visit