Accessible Library Services

The PEI Public Library Service offers a wide variety of materials in alternative formats for individuals with print disabilities.

What is a print disability?

A print disability is a learning, physical or visual disability that prevents a person from reading conventional print.

• 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

What is CELA and what do they offer?

CELA stands for the Centre for Equitable Library Access. It is a national not-for-profit organization made up of public libraries across Canada. By partnering with CELA, the PEI Public Library Service is able to access CELA's collection of materials in alternative formats for Islanders with print disabilities. 

What library services are available for print disabled Islanders?

• Access to CELA's online collection and Bookshare collection

• Envoy Connect players
  • The Envoy Connect Player is an easy to use and portable device for reading accessible audiobooks. This small device has a simple and intuitive layout and offers users another choice for how they access books from CELA. This device can be mailed to CELA to be reloaded with new titles, or it can be reloaded by downloading books or magazines directly from your CELA account via the free computer software CELA Connect. This software is simple and does not require advanced computer skills, allowing users to get new books quickly and easily without having to wait for mail deliveries. 

• DAISY CDs (accessible audiobooks in CD format) 
  • DAISYs are available at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre and a mail-out DAISY CD service is offered through Library Headquarters. This mail-out service sends DAISY CDs directly to the homes of participants for free. Users also can search and place requests on the library's collection of DAISY CDs through the online library catalogue.

• DAISY players 
  • These are portable devices that play DAISY CDs.
• C-Pens
  • C-PENs are portable scanning pens that read printed text out loud using an embedded camera, a real-time optical character recognition (OCR) and natural voice text to speech (TTS). C-PENs are designed to assist those with reading challenges such as dyslexia.
• Page Magnifiers

  • Page magnifiers are devices that enlarge printed text. They are designed for reading newspaper, maps, books, or anything with small print. This portable rectangular magnifier offers a larger viewing area and allows users to read an entire page. The magnifier can be free standing with 4 foldable legs, held in the hands, or hung from the neck.

How do I access these services?

There are a variety of ways to register for the library's accessible services:

• Complete and submit an online application form
• Call Library Headquarters at (902) 961-7320
• If you already have a PEI Public Library Card and only want to access digital content, register yourself through CELA's website
• If you are a teacher or educator and you wish to access digital content for your students, register through CELA's Educator Access Program
• If you are a professional and you wish to access digital content for your clients, register through CELA's Client Access Support Program