Accessible Collections
How can students with an accommodation get textbooks in alternate formats?
Answer
Students can request alternative formats for textbooks by first contacting the Counselling Services office. Your counselor will help you through the request process.
What is WeTransfer, and how do I use it?
Answer
WeTransfer is a computer file transfer service that allows users to share large files, without creating an account. Students will receive an email containing a link to download all of their requested alternate format textbooks.
All requested accessible textbooks will be sent via WeTransfer.
Do any of the databases have automated text reading functionality?
Answer
Yes, some vendors' database platforms have audio functionality built-in that will produce a computer-generated reading of text-based content such as magazine, newspaper, and journal articles or e-book text.
Things to note about text-reading functionality:
- Text-reading is only available for HTML full-text content, not PDF documents
- Some databases do not offer HTML full-text for some or all of their content
- Search screens and results lists usually do not have text reading functionality
See our Databases with Text Reading Functionality page for lists of those databases at Seneca Libraries that do and do not offer this functionality.
Does Seneca offer students text-reading software?
Read&Write Gold and other software is available through Seneca's ITS department, with further assistance in the use of that software available through Accessible Learning Services.
What is the LEAP project and does Seneca Libraries participate in assessing databases?
Answer
LEAP is a College Libraries Ontario (CLO) initiative that is supported by the Ontario Colleges Library Service (OCLS).
- LEAP is a self-audit tool that library staff at participating institutions use to evaluate the accessibility of library e-resources.
- Completed evaluations are entered into a repository of accessibility assessment reports.
- Library staff can review the reports as they make acquisition decisions, support library users, and advocate for e-resource publishers to continually improve their accessibility features.
- Seneca participates in LEAP by conducting accessibility assessments and adding them to the repository.
Does Seneca Libraries have electronic books that are accessible to people with print reading disabilities?
Answer
Students can request alternative formats for textbooks or any other part of Seneca Libraries print collection by first contacting the Accessible Learning Services. Your counselor will help you through the request process.
In order to make library collections more accessible to patrons with print disabilities, Seneca Libraries facilitates access to the Accessible Content E-Portal (ACE). ACE is a repository of books in accessible format that is managed by Scholar’s Portal, a service of the Ontario Council of University Libraries. ACE provides books in the following formats: colour PDF, black & white PDF, DAISY, plain text and e-pub. Please note that ACE is accessible to current students, faculty and staff only and may only be accessed by users with a verified perceptual disability. Eligible students will be given a token to log onto the website and search for books. To request a token please send and email to: altformats@senecapolytechnic.ca.
Two videos explain how to use ACE:
CELA is the Centre for Equitable Library Access. It is a non-profit organization that provides access to close to 1 million accessible titles including more than 50 periodicals in alternative format to people with print disabilities. There are several service choices including DAISY text, DAISY audiobooks, and Braille.
All you need to access CELA’s Bookshare collection is a public library card.
Do Seneca Libraries' DVDs have closed captioning?
Answer
Seneca Libraries’ collection of over 4800+ DVDs includes both titles that have closed captioning and titles that do not. Many of the titles in the collection were acquired in a marketplace before AODA legislation was enacted. Even today, many DVDS for sale do not include closed captioning.
Students, or faculty on their behalf, who require closed captioning and/or a transcript for a film in Seneca Libraries’ DVD collections that does not have closed captioning, should contact librarytechhelp@senecapolytechnic.ca with the title of the film to request captioning be added. The library will attempt to obtain or create a copy of the film with closed captioning. From experience, however, it is not always possible due to vendor non-response or licensing rights issues. Obtaining closed captioning is a time-consuming process, please plan accordingly.
Faculty utilizing DVDs from their own personal or departmental collections are responsible for ensuring it is closed captioned.
Do Seneca Library streaming videos come with closed captioning and transcripts?
Answer
Seneca Libraries’ collection of over 180 000+ streaming videos includes both titles that have closed captioning and titles that do not. A general reporting of captioning availability is available, listed by streaming video collection. Library licensed films hosted on MS Stream are closed captioned.