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Accessibility: Accessibility of e-resources

Read aloud in browsers

Microsoft Edge

  • Right-click on top of the page, or press Ctrl+Shift+u, and then select Read Aloud.
  • Immersive Reader with tools Read Aloud, Text preferences, Grammar tools and Reading preferences.

Chrome and Firefox: Extensions such as Read Aloud.

  • Notice this: Ebsco e-books can be listened to in Edge but not with Chrome Read Aloud extension.

Tex-to-speech in databases and e-book readers

Text-to speech feature in e-book databases such as

In Ebsco and ProQuest you can listen to HTML articles.

Thorium Reader has a built-in read aloud feature for Ellibs e-books.

Listening PDFs

Journal articles and book chapters can be downloaded in PDF format.

Text in PDFs can be transformed to speech in Adobe Acrobat Reader or in browser.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Choose View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud.


After Activate Read Out Loud you can select 

  • Read This Page Only
  • Read to End of Document.

You can also Pause and Stop.

Kuvakaappaus Adobe Acrobat Readerin Read Out Loud -toimintovalikosta

Tips for listening to e-resources

Edge: Read aloud and Immersive reader

Listening to e-resources: ProQuest articles

Accessibility of e-resources


Accessibility of e-books is essential for print-disabled persons, but accessibility features are beneficial for everyone. 

Text-to-speech tools (read aloud) are used visually impaired and dyslexic users, as well as users with different language backgrounds or users looking to multi-task or rest their eyes. 

Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to use their computer. To be able to listen to an e-book, you need also an accessible e-book. Adobe Digital Editions usually works well with screen readers. 

E-books that are readable in the browser can also be listened to with a text-to-speech web reader. 

E-resources

E-resource-specific accessibility information is presented in the guides: