RNIB Bookshare, RNIB Library, and ClearVision lending library for accessible books, audio and braille.

RNIB Bookshare UK education collection

RNIB Bookshare is a free service for people who are unable to read standard print, including those with dyslexia and those who are blind or partially sighted.

The books are accessible, so pupils can read them in different ways. They can:

  • listen to books with high quality text-to-speech voices
  • hear and see highlighted words on screen
  • read with digital braille or enlarged fonts
  • create physical braille or large print
  • read directly from your internet browser

The website also has a comprehensive catalogue of simplified and braille ready images from a wide range of topics. You can download these to make raised or enlarged diagrams and pictures.

To have access to RNIB Bookshare you will need to sign up as an organisation.

Read more information on how to get started with RNIB Bookshare

RNIB Library  

The RNIB Library is a free service. It has books in: 

  • audio
  • braille
  • giant print (pt24)

It also has a large collection of music scores.

The RNIB Library services are open to a wide range of people who have sight loss or print impairment issues.

This includes people who:

  • are blind
  • are partially sighted
  • have an impairment that prevents or limits them from accessing standard print

You can choose books by browsing a category or by books lists, and request them via the website, by post or over the phone.

The books borrowed from these services are the property of RNIB. You must return them after the pupils have read or listened to them, using the free postage labels provided with the books. The loan period is 3 months. 

To join the library:

ClearVision

ClearVision is a postal lending library of children's books designed to be shared by visually impaired and sighted children and adults.  
The books all have braille, print and pictures. This allows: 

  • children with little or no sight to share books with their sighted friends
  • family and adult braille readers to enjoy stories with sighted children

There are over 14,000 books in the collection, for children from birth until they're independent readers. They have fiction and non-fiction in uncontracted (grade 1) and contracted (grade 2) braille and Moon.

Contact us
Sensory Support Service
Elmfield House
Greystoke Avenue
Westbury-on-Trym
BS10 6AY

Phone: 0117 903 8442
Text: 07407 814 763
Email: sensorysupportservice@bristol.gov.uk