Books without Barriers - Accessible books, magazines and periodicals

Welcome to Bookshare for Canada. We have an expanding collection of accessible books available to people in Canada who have a qualifying print disability.

  • What is Bookshare? How does it work?

    The general Bookshare website discusses these issues in detail. We suggest you visit the individual subscriptions page to learn more about subscribing. This web page talks about Bookshare.ca and how it works for residents of Canada.

  • Who may join and what books can they access?

    The qualifying disabilities for membership in Bookshare are the same for Canadian residents as they are for residents of the U.S. What differs is the type of books that are available. Canadian residents have access to books where publishers have specifically granted us Canadian or global rights, or where books are in the public domain in the U.S. Books in our collection scanned under the U.S. copyright exemption are not automatically available outside the U.S., but we are always working on more publishers to provide permissions to serve print disabled people around the world.

    The qualifying disabilities are as follows:

    • Visually impaired Blind or legally blind
    • Learning disabled Typically a student with a specific language learning impairment and requiring text accommodation
    • Physically disabled Where the disability makes it difficult or impossible to read standard print

    A proof of disability form needs to be signed by a qualified professional in the field of disability services, education, medicine or psychology.

    The proof of disability form is available here.

  • How much does it cost to become a member?

    If you have a qualifying print disability you can sign up for a Bookshare membership for a $75 (U.S.) initial annual fee. Subsequent annual renewals are $50 (U.S.). With this membership you have access to over 1700 copyrighted titles in addition to 3800 public domain titles all in one place. And these numbers are growing every day.

  • How do I sign up?

    Obtaining a Canadian Bookshare membership involves three simple steps.

    1. Register
    2. Provide Proof of disability
    3. Payment. Pay by credit card online