International Membership
Bookshare® offers an expanding number of accessible books to people all over the world with qualifying print disabilities. Thousands of accessible titles are available for download to international members, based on copyright permissions granted by publishers and authors. Bookshare’s goal is to continue working with publishers and authors to increase the number of titles available globally. Currently Bookshare has over 50,000 titles available internationally, and members in 36 countries.
Membership
To download copyrighted books, you need to sign up as a member. Bookshare offers two kinds of memberships:
|
Membership Type |
Download Privileges |
Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Individual |
Allows you to download copyrighted books for your own use. This membership requires a Proof of Disability. Please see sign up instructions below. |
U.S. $75 ($25 set up fee + $50 annual fee) (Some countries may have discounted memberships, see below.) |
| Organizational |
Allows faculty/staff to download books for qualified students or clients within your school or institution. You will need to provide a Proof of Disability. |
Two payment options:
Or,
(Some countries may have discounted memberships, see below.) |
How to Sign Up for Individual Membership:
There are three steps for individuals to become members:
- Click the Sign Up link and register as an Individual Member.
- Have a medical professional sign the Proof of Disability form, and return the form to membership@bookshare.org (click here for information about who can certify your form).
- Pay the membership fee - this requires a credit card. Your sign up confirmation email should have the link.
Country-Specific Information
Bookshare has additional information on services in specific countries. We welcome contacts from national organizations interested in developing Bookshare further in your country. To find out more, visit your country’s information page:
Discounted Memberships
Certain countries may have discounted memberships paid for by government or nonprofit agencies. To find out more visit your country’s information page:
Global Permissions
In many countries, there are accessibility laws that permit the creation of accessible versions of books for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, these are national laws, not global laws. So, to distribute books around the world, Bookshare needs to ask permission from publishers and authors. Most are willing to provide such permissions, but it takes time to solicit their assistance. Authors and publishers wishing to help Bookshare grow its international collection can find more information on the Author and Publisher pages.
Some of the publishers who have agreed to global permissions include the following:
- HarperCollins (fiction and nonfiction)
- Scholastic (children's titles)
- The Perseus Books Group (nonfiction, fiction, travel, college textbooks)
- O'Reilly Media (technical computer)
- Baen Books (science fiction and fantasy)
- East West Publications (India)
- Seasons Publishing (India)
Key Supporters
International Bookshare has been made possible by generous grants from the Bernard A. Newcomb Fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, with the long-term goal of supporting our international efforts from memberships.
Through funding from Lavelle Fund for the Blind, Bookshare developed a partnership with WORTH TRUST in South India (RCMCT-WORTH TRUST Rehabilitation Centre for Physically Challenged). WORTH TRUST runs a scanning and proofreading operation that employs people with disabilities. It is a win-win situation where people with physical disabilities in the East help those with visual impairments in the West and around the world.
Additionally, through a partnership with Vidyavrikshah, a nongovernmental organization in South India that serves those with visual impairments, Bookshare has been granted global permissions from Indian publishers such as Seasons Publishing and East West Publications. Now these books are available to everyone.
Bookshare hopes to build more partnerships to support the expansion of accessible book services to everyone in the world who needs them.
