Getting Started with Web Reader
Web Reader is Bookshare’s accessible eBook reader that lets you read Bookshare books from within your Internet browser. No need to download reading tools or book files!
- Compatible Browsers
- Reading Books with Web Reader
- Saving Your Place in a Book
- Navigating Web Reader
- Visual Features
- Audio Features
- Enhance Your Web Reader Experience with Extensions
Compatible Browsers
In the following browsers on computers Web Reader displays books with self-voicing and word highlighting:
- Google Chrome version 33+
- Safari version 6.1+
- Chromebooks version 14+
In the following browsers, Web Reader displays the book without self-voicing:
- Mozilla Firefox version 6+
- Safari version 6.0+
- Internet Explorer 9, 10 and 11
- Safari on an iPad with iOS 7+
These platforms can use external voicing applications for audio such as VoiceOver or Screen Readers.
The Web Reader is not supported on other mobile devices.
Reading Books with Web Reader
- Open a Web Reader compatible browser.
- Go to www.bookshare.org and log into your Bookshare account.
- Search for your book of choice.
- Select "Read Now" to open the book in your browser. Opening the book may take a minute or two.
- Select "Play" to hear the book read out loud.

Saving Your Place in a Book
Your place in a book is automatically saved in a cookie, however it will only be saved on the device you are using at the time. Your place will not be transferred across devices
When you are ready to read again:
- Log into your Bookshare account and select "My History".
- Select "Read Now" for your book of choice. The book will open where you last left off.
- Select "Play" and Web Reader will begin reading from the top of the current page. Be sure your desired starting point is at the top of the page if you would like to begin reading at a different point.
Navigating Web Reader
The navigation buttons in order from left to right, followed by corresponding keyboard shortcuts are:
- Table of Contents (T)
- Previous (2)
- Next (1)
- Play (P).
- Settings (O)
- Night mode On/Off (N)
- Full screen On/Off (F)
- Help (H)
- Show/Hide Toolbar (X)

Visual Features
- Select “Settings from the navigation bar.Use the “Font Face”, “Font Size” and “Font Color and Background” options to customize the book font.
- Customize the book’s page format and navigation using the “Display Format” and “Margins” options.

Audio Features
- Select “Settings” from the navigation bar.
- Select your desired speech rate and text-to-speech voice.
Web Reader will use your computer’s default voice setting, however you can use any other voices installed on your computer as well as this Google TTS extension for Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-os-us-english-fema/efdo...