Bookshare is a service that provides accessible books to qualifying individuals (with one or more of the following conditions: Visual impairment, including blindness, Learning disability that affects reading, Other physical disability). In order to get Bookshare, an individual must be certified as having a qualifying disability.

Bookshare is free for K-12, post-secondary, and a rehabilitation program students in the U.S. Other qualifying individuals must pay a $50 yearly fee (unless they have another organization providing free Bookshare access).

If your child qualifies for a Bookshare account but does not have one, there is no reason to wait any longer. Below, you will find all the information you need to complete an online application for a free Bookshare account for your qualifying child. You will need a Competent Authority in order to get a free Bookshare account, and I can help. I will serve as your child’s Competent Authority, and I am happy to do so a no cost to you. In order to serve in this capacity, I need you to do each of the following:

1. Go to Bookshare and begin the application process. You will find an outline of all the questions that will be asked in this blog post: “How to Sign Up for a Bookshare Account Online”
2. Download “Individual_Proof_of_Disability.”
3. Complete “Step 1” of the Individual_Proof_of_Disability (at the top of page two).
4. Save “Individual_Proof_of_Disability” as a Word document.
5. Send your child’s most recent IEP or 504 agreement, most recent doctor’s report relevant to your child’s print disability, and your completed “Individual_Proof_of_Disability” to me at the BEAR email address.
6. I will review the materials, and, if your child qualifies, I will send you a completed “Individual_Proof_of_Disability” as a PDF with my electronic signature. You may then upload that document to Bookshare.