As librarians, we know how important the written word is; now, imagine not being able to read because you are visually-impaired or have a print-disability. Fortunately, technology has made it possible for the visually-impaired and print-disabled to have access to books in a variety of formats including ebooks.
SALS has signed up for LEAP, the Library eBook Accessibility Program, from OverDrive and Bookshare. This service offers free ebooks to print-disabled patrons. Patrons who qualify for LEAP may include those who receive services from the National Library Service and/or are members of Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic.
We encourage you to put the word out to your library patrons who may qualify for LEAP.  Some ways you can promote LEAP include:
- Posting information about LEAP near your Large Print collection
- Having your library’s Adult Services/Outreach librarian contact qualified patrons
- Contact local senior centers and organizations for the blind to inform them that their local library is offering free ebooks to print-disabled persons
How do you access the ebooks? You will find a link that says “Accessible eBooks for the print-impaired – Click here” on your SALON page. For more information and registration instructions for patrons, link to the documents below.