Getting Started with the Accessibility Training Module for Librarians

• Getting Started with the Accessibility Training Module for Librarians: Serving Print-Disabled Readers
  • Introduction
  • Setting Up Your Reading System
  • Downloading Training Module (EPUB)
    • iPhone & iPad
    • Android Phone and Tablet
    • Windows PC
    • Mac
  • Dolphin EasyReader
    • Key Features of Dolphin EasyReader
    • Download the EasyReader App
    • Create a Dolphin Account for EasyReader
    • Sign in With Your Apple or Google Account
    • Read a Book with EasyReader
    • Navigate a Book
  • Thorium Reader
    • Downloading Thorium Reader

This guide will walk you through downloading and opening the module on smart phones, tablets, and personal computers.

The module is in the EPUB format. This is the publishing industry standard for digital books. If you read on Kindle or other popular platforms, you are already using it. We chose EPUB as the format for this module for two reasons. First, it is the most accessible digital book format. Second, reading it will give you practice in using accessible EPUB apps.

You can think of an EPUB as a self-contained zipped-up mini-website containing a book arranged as a series of web pages. To read an EPUB e-book, you need a reading system or an EPUB reader to extract these files and present them in a user-friendly way. Some hardware platforms come with a built-in reading system, such as Apple Books for Mac and iPhone, but others may require you to download and install one.

Thorium Reader for Mac provides better accessibility than Apple Books. Dolphin EasyReader provides better accessibility on iPhones and Android devices. PCs do not come with an EPUB reader, but they support both Dolphin EasyReader and Thorium Reader.

Install your reading system before downloading the EPUB Training module, so after you download the file, you can open it in your reading system of choice.

• Instructions for downloading Dolphin EasyReader (android, iPhone, Mac, PC)

• Instructions for downloading Thorium Reader (Mac, PC)

Click the option below for the device you use.

•  iPhones & iPads

• Android Phones & Tablets

• Windows PCs

• Macs

1. IPhones and iPads come with Apple Books as their default EPUB reader. It works if you do not have a reading disability. Dolphin EasyReader provides more accessibility features. To install it, follow this link.

2. Use this link to our Training Module (EPUB). It will open your browser and may prompt you to download the file, or it may automatically download it.

3. If it automatically downloads the file, you may see one of these two options, depending on your browser.

4. If you see only a blue down arrow at the bottom of the screen, click on it to bring up the next prompt.

5. Click the Downloads option to bring up this list.
 

6. Click on the file Accessibility Training Module for Librarians. This should open the EPUB up in your preferred reading system, such as Apple Books or EasyReader. If it does not, or if your original download had the option to "Open in," then the following list of options may appear, and you can choose your reading system.
 

7. If you do not see your reading app listed, click on the “More…” option to search your iPhone for the app you want.

8. Tapping on the app you want to use will import the training module into its library and open it for you.

1. Android devices do not come with an EPUB reader. Follow these instructions to get the free and accessible Dolphin EasyReader.

2. Use this link to get the Training Module (EPUB). The link will open in your Chrome browser and prompt you to download the module.

3. Select the downloaded file and open it with Dolphin EasyReader.

1. Windows PC computers do not come with an EPUB reader. Follow these instructions to get the free and accessible Thorium Reader. Adobe Digital Editions can also read EPUBs, although its accessibility is uncertain.

2. Use this link to get the Training Module (EPUB). It will open your default browser and automatically download the file, which will appear in a small window in the upper right corner of your screen.
 

3. When you click the Open file link, you will see a list of compatible reading systems and EPUB editors that have been installed on your PC.

4. Choose Thorium Reader or Dolphin EasyReader to add the module to its library and open it.

5. Use the right and left arrow keys to navigate the book.

6. In Thorium Reader, click on the open book icon in the top right corner of the app to see options such as viewing the table of contents or using bookmarks.
 

Mac computers come with Apple Books as their default EPUB reader. Thorium Reader provides better accessibility features. Installing Dolphin EasyReader is another great option for accessibility.

1. After you install Thorium, use this link to our Training Module (EPUB). to open your default browser and automatically download the file "Accessibility_Tutorial_For_Librarians.epub" to your downloads folder.

2. Open Finder and select your Downloads folder.

3. Right click on the file “Accessibility_Tutorial_For_Librarians.epub.” This will open the context menu. Select “Open With” either Books.app or Thorium.app.

4. Use the right and left arrow keys to navigate the pages of the book.

5. If you want to jump to a specific chapter in the book, move your cursor to the top left and click on the bulleted list icon, as shown in the figure. This will open the table of contents.

Dolphin EasyReader is available for PC, Mac, Android and iOS.
 

Key Features of Dolphin EasyReader

EasyReader by Dolphin Computer Access, Ltd., is an easy-to-use, free, accessible reading app for people with print disabilities, including dyslexia, low vision, and blindness.

With Dolphin EasyReader, you can:

• Read or listen to EPUB, Word, or audio books

• Search for Direct to Player books and magazines from within the app

• Listen to a human-sounding voice read text-only titles with text and audio synchronized

• Easily navigate books

• Search within the text

• Add bookmarks

• Set a sleep timer

• Adjust colors, text size, highlights, and speed to your preferences
   

Download the EasyReader App

Visit the App store for an iPhone or iPad, or Google Play for an Android phone or tablet.
 

Create a Dolphin Account for EasyReader

To use EasyReader, you must sign in or create a Dolphin account. If you have a Google or Apple account, you can sign in with it, and you do not need a separate Dolphin account. See below for details.
 

To create a Dolphin account:

• Open Dolphin Easy Reader.

• Select Sign up for a new Dolphin account. 

• Enter your email address and select Next.

• Choose a secure password, at least 6 characters long.

• Note the email address and password you used for future reference.

• Select “I agree to the Terms & Conditions” and then select “Sign Up.”

• A pop-up will appear telling you that your account has been created, and you have been emailed a confirmation.

• Select OK.

• Open your E-mail and follow the steps in the message from Dolphin.

• Log in to EasyReader with your Dolphin account username and password.  
   

Sign in With Your Apple or Google Account

If you have an Apple or Google account, you can use it with Dolphin. You do not need to create a separate Dolphin account.

To log in using your Apple or Google account:

• Open Dolphin Easy Reader.

• Select Sign in with Apple or the Google option.

• You may be asked to continue with your Touch ID or select your Google account. Follow the prompts.

• Select “I agree to the Terms & Conditions” and then select “Sign Up.”

• A pop-up will tell you that you are logged in to EasyReader.

• Select OK.

Read a Book with EasyReader

Books you have downloaded in EasyReader are available from the My Books page.

To read a book:

Select a book from the My Books page.

• The book opens.

• If you want the book read to you automatically using the app’s built-in Text-to-Speech, tap the Play arrow.

• If this is the first time you have listened to the book, EasyReader will start at the beginning. If you are returning to a book, EasyReader will take you to the last word/phrase/paragraph that it read. If you select a chapter, EasyReader will read it.

• If you use the VoiceOver screen reader, it will follow the same pattern with VoiceOver reading the highlighted text. To continue reading, select the Play button.

• For more information on using the skip forward and backward controls in the EasyReader, read the topic on Skip forward and backward.

Navigate a Book

You can navigate books by heading or chapter, by page number, or by bookmark. It depends on how the book is structured. The default navigation is by heading. The book navigation button is in the bottom left corner of the screen near the Play/Pause button.

To navigate through the book:

• Select the Book Navigation button to get to a list of headings within the book.

• From Book Navigation, you can select chapters or pages and jump to them.

• Tap Play to go to the position you selected.

• For more information on book navigation, read EasyReader’s navigation help.

Thorium Reader is a free EPUB reader for Windows 10 and MacOS.

Downloading Thorium Reader

Here are the links for PC and Mac

• Windows 10 Version

• MacOS Version

Installing Thorium Reader on Windows

Follow the Windows 10 link to this page.
 

1. Click “Get in Store app”
 

2. A pop-up window for Thorium Reader will appear. Click on the blue “Get” button.
 

3. After the file downloads, Thorium will be installed on your computer. If you want to use it now, click on the blue Open button. If not, close it.
 

Installing Thorium Reader on Mac

1. Click on this link for Thorium on MacOS. The latest version will be downloaded to your downloads folder.

2. Double-click it to open the installer dialog, as shown in this figure.
 

3. Drag the Thorium.app into the Applications folder

4. You can open the app from the Applications folder or by using Launchpad.

5. To add an EPUB to your Thorium library you right click it and choose “Open with Thorium.app.” Another way is to locate the EPUB on your computer by using the + icon as shown in this figure.