Bookshare is an online library that provides accessible ebooks to people with print disabilities. Bookshare meets the requirements of the Chafee Amendment, which permits an authorized entity like Benetech to make books available to people with print disabilities provided that:

• Copies may not be reproduced or distributed in a format other than a specialized format exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.
• Must bear a notice that any further reproduction or distribution in a format other than a specialized format is an infringement.
• Must include a copyright notice identifying the copyright owner and the date of the original publication.
• “Specialized formats” means Braille, audio, or digital text exclusively intended for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.

Benetech’s authorized entity status has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Education, when it made significant grant awards for Bookshare, which may only be made to an authorized entity.

In addition to books made available under the Chafee Amendment, some publishers and authors have permitted books and other publications to be available in accessible digital formats to individuals with qualifying disabilities in the U.S. and many other countries worldwide.