OverDrive library websites are compatible with computer screen readers
Your library's OverDrive website is compatible with screen readers like NVDA or JAWS. You can use these screen readers to navigate the site, browse for content, and open or download borrowed titles. Here are some tips for using a screen reader with your library's OverDrive website:
Browsing and searching
- You can use the elements list feature of your screen reader (usually Insert + F7) to browse all headings or links on the page, including book titles and authors.
- You can navigate different sections of the page based on heading level. For example, collections use level 2 headings, and titles always use level 3 headings.
- Title information in collections and search results includes the title's name, author, availability, and an action link (like Borrow or Place a hold). You can also press Enter on a title to go its details page and read a description, borrow or place a hold, and more.
- To search, focus on and open the search option, located under the "search and account" heading on any page.
- You can apply filters (under the "filters" heading) on a search results page to narrow your results.
Signing in
- You can sign into your library website using the Sign in link on any page. Or, you'll be prompted to sign in (if you haven't already) when you try to borrow a title, place a hold, or add a title to your wish list.
- If your library is a part of a consortium, you'll need to select your library from a combo box before signing in. When you focus on the combo box, you can type the name of your library or use the arrow keys until you hear it.
Borrowing and reading
- You may be able to choose a different lending period for a title before you borrow it. When you select Borrow, a dialog box will open, and you can select a lending period from the combo box before completing the checkout.
- When you finish borrowing a title, you can download ebooks or open ebooks and audiobooks right away. Or, you can go to your Loans page (under My account) to find options for all your borrowed titles.
- To read ebooks, we recommend using Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin or Adobe Digital Editions .
- To read an ebook in the Kindle format, select Read now with Kindle. You'll be redirected to Amazon's website to complete checkout and send the ebook to a Kindle device or reading app.
- For other ebook formats, select Download. If an ebook has multiple download options (like EPUB ebook), you'll need to select one before downloading.
- To listen to audiobooks, you can use the Listen now in browser option on your Loans page.
More information
Windows users
We've tested NVDA and JAWS, and recommend either as an excellent option for Windows-based screen readers. In both cases, Mozilla Firefox is the recommended web browser.
You can find keyboard shortcuts and commands in the NVDA and JAWS user guides:
Mac users
If you're using a Mac, you may want to try VoiceOver, which is built specifically to work with Apple's macOS.
