ABC Catalogue to Go Fully Mobile with Dolphin EasyReader App

An exciting new partnership between WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) and Dolphin Computer Access forges a path to make the ABC catalogue available to persons who are print-disabled directly on their device of choice.

Through this new agreement with Dolphin, a UK-based software developer specialized in accessibility, the ABC catalogue will be made available in the upcoming months for readers who are blind, have low vision, are dyslexic or have mobility impairments that impact their ability to read the printed word through the Dolphin EasyReader application.

This ground-breaking collaboration between ABC and Dolphin is not just opening a door to a vast world of literature; it is ensuring that this door is wide open and easily accessible. This collaboration is a testament to our collective commitment to breaking down barriers in accessing information, allowing those who are blind or partially sighted to seamlessly connect with a wealth of resources essential for education, employment, and personal growth.

Martine Abel-Williamson, President, World Blind Union and Member of the ABC Advisory Board.

This new integration will allow users to search, download and read books from the ABC catalogue all within a single contained environment. Dolphin EasyReader App has specialized accessibility features to ensure that this is a straightforward and comfortable experience for the reader.

The launch of the ABC Beneficiary Application in 2021 made it possible for ABC’s partner libraries to give access to the ABC catalogue to their print-disabled patrons through this new web application. Since then, the ABC Beneficiary Application continues to grow and as of January 2024 it offers a catalogue of more than 400,000 accessible books to people who are print disabled in 22 countries, through 30 participating libraries for the blind, known as authorized entities.

To view the ABC catalogue of accessible format books through Dolphin EasyReader App, persons who are print disabled must inquire with their own institutions. The list of authorized entities that currently offer the ABC Beneficiary Application to their patrons can be found on our contact page.

Bolstered by an ever-growing worldwide network of authorized entities serving the print disabled, the ABC catalogue has come to form one of the world’s largest collections of books in accessible digital formats.

Background

According to a 2017 study published in The Lancet, approximately 253 million people are blind or visually impaired world-wide. Nearly 90% of these are resident in developing countries, where the World Blind Union (WBU) estimates that people who are blind have only a one in ten chance of going to school or getting a job. A lack of accessible books remains a very real barrier to getting an education and leading an independent, productive life.

About Dolphin Computer Access

Dolphin is a global leader in assistive technology, dedicated to empowering individuals with vision impairments and other print disabilities. With a 37-year legacy, Dolphin's innovative solutions promote independent reading and accessibility. 

Dolphin Computer Access develops assistive technology products to improve accessibility and independence for people who are blind or partially sighted. The Dolphin product range includes screen reading and screen magnification software. Dolphin also develops technology that enables independent reading for people with vision impairments, neurodiversity, and other print disabilities. Dolphin EasyReader App connects readers to accessible libraries around the world, to make books and reading accessible to more people.

Find out more about Dolphin Computer Access.

About ABC

The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is a public-private partnership led by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that brings together all of the key players – organizations representing people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled, authors, publishers, collective management organizations, libraries and other authorized entities, as well as standards bodies. ABC was established in June 2014 to implement the goals of the Marrakesh Treaty. Through an effective international alliance of relevant state and non-state actors, ABC seeks to increase, and distribute, the number of books worldwide in accessible formats - such as braille, audio, e-text and large print.
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About WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. A specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO assists its 193 member states in developing a balanced international IP legal framework to meet society's evolving needs. It provides business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries and resolving disputes. It delivers capacity-building programs to help developing countries benefit from using IP. And it provides free access to unique knowledge banks of IP information.