People with reading barriers face numerous challenges. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, 90% of whom live in developing countries. An even higher number of people have dyslexia or a language-based learning disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read printed text.
Bookshare is an ebook library that makes reading easier. The library has 941,707 titles and is the most extensive collection of accessible ebooks in the world. People with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers can customize their experience to suit their learning style and find virtually any book they need for school, work, or the joy of reading.
Bookshare is free for qualified adults through the New York Public Library and others.
Bookshare is a program run by the nonprofit Benetech. Their mission is to empower communities with software for social good. Benetech achieves this mission by uniting two worlds: the social sector and Silicon Valley. They serve as a bridge between the social sector and Silicon Valley by working closely with both communities to identify needs and software solutions that can drive positive social change. Their work transforms how people with disabilities read and learn, makes it safer for human rights defenders to pursue truth and justice, and connects people to the services they need to live and prosper.
This campaign, designed by F.Y. Eye Impact Artist Manny Dominguez, is sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTA Foundation).