Accessible Reading Resources

National Network for Equitable Library Service

NNELS is a collection of accessible, downloadable titles for Canadians with print disabilities.

Go to Site

What is NNELS

NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) is a provincially funded online collection of digital books for readers with print disabilities available from the NNELS website.

Once registered with NNELS, you will be able to download digital book formats including DAISY, MP3, eTEXT, PDF, and EPUB.

Who Can Sign Up

The NNELS collection is available to library customers with a print disability as defined in section 32 of the Canadian Copyright Act:

  • learning disability: an impairment relating to comprehension
  • physical disability: the inability to hold or manipulate a book
  • visual disability: severe or total impairment of sight or the inability to focus or move one’s eyes.

How to Sign Up 

To register for NNELS – first contact your local library branch to ensure your library membership status allows borrowing of print disabled materials. Then either:

  • Complete the online registration on the NNELS website (click on Sign Up), or
  • Contact Okanagan Regional Library’s Access Services staff by phone at 778-658-6394 or email access@orl.bc.ca

Find Books

Search or browse the collection on the NNELS website to find books to read. 

Then, download them to your computer, tablet, or mobile device.

NNELS Help

Lots of help is available on NNELS’s Tutorial page which is organized by how you read: smartphone or tablet, DAISY Player, computer or laptop, or CD player.

Other questions, specific to NNELS, will be best answered by them:

  • Email: support@nnels.ca 
  • Phone: 1-888-848-9250 (Hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday to Friday)

Need Further Help?

Connect with Okanagan Regional Library’s Access Services staff:

Centre for Equitable Library Access

CELA is an additional collection of accessible materials for customers with print disabilities and professionals who work with people with print disabilities.

Go to Site

The Okanagan Regional Library partners with the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) to offer accessible collections for patrons with print disabilities and support for professionals who work with the print disabled community. CELA offers a growing collection of more than 700,000 items for all ages, including:

• Newspapers, magazines, and books
• Audio, e-audio, e-text, braille, printbraille, and eBraille
• English and French titles, with some additional languages
• Access to Bookshare, a United States-based accessible online library for people with print disabilities

Who Can Sign Up

The CELA collection is available to library customers with a print disability, as defined in Section 32 of the Canadian Copyright Act:

• Learning disability: an impairment relating to comprehension
• Physical disability: the inability to hold or manipulate a book
• Visual disability: severe or total impairment of sight, or the inability to focus or move one’s eyes

How to Sign Up

To register with CELA, first contact your local library branch to ensure your membership status allows access to print disability materials. Then choose one of the following options:

Self-register on the CELA website
• Contact the ORL Access Services team:

CELA is also available to educators and other professionals who work with the print disabled community. To learn more or register, visit the Educator Access Program or Client Access Support Program pages on the CELA website.

Find Books

Search or browse the collection directly on the CELA website. Delivery options include:

• Online access and download: read newspapers online and download books and magazines to a computer or mobile device
• Direct download to a DAISY player: download books and magazines to an internet-enabled DAISY player over a wireless connection
• Delivery by mail: receive DAISY audiobooks and magazines on CD, embossed braille, or printbraille (children’s picture books with see-through braille sheets) by mail
• Automatic selection: receive new books that match your interests

CELA Help

Support is available on CELA’s Help Page, including information on how to use the website, get started, choose devices, and find answers to frequently asked questions. You can also contact CELA directly for assistance with your account, services, or materials:

• Email: help@celalibrary.ca
• Phone: 1-855-655-2273 (5:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST, Monday to Friday)

Need Further Help?

Connect with the ORL’s Access Services team:

• Email: access@orl.bc.ca
• Phone: 778-658-6394

Audiobooks

Listen to thousands of titles with your library card.