Books from Libraries
There are a great many titles readily available for loan as audio books and Large Print through your local library service and a few libraries now let you borrow eBooks via the OverDrive service. The OverDrive books are EPUB format which you can read on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, smart phones etc. On a computer you read the books with Adobe Digital Editions, which is not very accessible: one font, limited colour options, complicated and low quality text to speech.
Most local authority library services have online catalogue where you can search the entire stock of books held across the authority. The online catalogues usually let you search for different formats, including audio books, Large Print, Braille and eBooks.
When you search for a book, we suggest you use the Advanced Search options and type the name of the author or the title that you are looking for, then limit the search for the type of format you want, such as "Audio Book", or "Book – Large Print". If you just search for the title, you’ll get all the copies that are held – paperback, hardback, DVD etc as well as the format you want.
We created the table below via an internet search. A tick indicates that the library online catalogue offers that particular format of book. Please let us know if any of the links or details are incorrect.
As well as searching online, remember you can also phone the library service and ask the librarian if they have the book you want in the format you need.
| Local Authority | Online Catalogue | Audio Cassette or CD | Audio Book Download | Large Print | Braille | eBooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen City | Aberdeen City Council Library and Information Services Catalogue : click on More Search Options and search by Collection e.g. Large print Books | yes | yes | |||
| Aberdeenshire | Aberdeenshire Libraries and Information Service Catalogue : click on More Search Options and search by Format e.g. Braille | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Angus | Angus Libraries OnLine Catalogue : click on General or Junior then Keyword Search and set Limits for Large print, Spoken Word on MP3 etc | yes | yes | |||
| Argyll and Bute | Argyll and Bute Libraries : click on Audio Books or Large Print on the links at the left side of the screen | yes | yes | |||
| Clackmannanshire | Clackmannanshire Library Service : no option to limit the search by format | |||||
| Dumfries and Galloway | Dumfries and Galloway Library Catalogue : click on Advanced Search and search by Type, e.g. Spoken Word CD | yes | ||||
| Dundee | Dundee City Library Catalogue : click on Advanced and search by Material, e.g. Talking Books, Large Print | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| East Ayrshire | East Ayrshire Council Information Archives : choose your library or click Guest then click Power Search and search by Media e.g. LARGEPRINT | yes | yes | |||
| East Dunbartonshire | East Dunbartonshire Library Catalogue : click on Search our Catalogue, Advanced and search by Limits e.g. Coll: Spoken Word on CD To download an audiobook, click on My Account then Audiobook Downloads | yes | yes | |||
| East Lothian | East Lothian Virtual Information Service : Click on Advanced Search and search by Collection or e.g. Large Print, Children’s Audio Books | yes | yes | |||
| East Renfrewshire | East Renfrewshire Council Cultural Services : click on Advanced Search and search by Collection or by Format, e.g. Large Print | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| Edinburgh City | Edinburgh City Libraries Online Catalogue : click on Advanced Search and search by Collection e.g Large Print | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| Falkirk | Falkirk Council Virtual Library : click on Advanced Search and search by Media, e.g. Spoken Word CD | |||||
| Fife | Fife Council Libraries' online catalogue : search for the title and then look through to see if audio or Large print is available | yes | yes | yes | ||
| Glasgow City | Glasgow Libraries : Click on Advanced Search and search by Media, e.g. Books, Large Print | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| Highland | Highland Libraries catalogue : click on More Search options and search by Format, e.g. Large Print | yes | yes | yes | ||
| Inverclyde | Inverclyde Libraries : Click on Advanced and search by Collection, e.g. Junior Fiction Large Print | yes | yes | |||
| Midlothian | Midlothian Library Catalogue Click on Advanced Search and search by Media, e.g. Books, Large Print | yes | yes | |||
| Moray | Moray Council Libraries Catalogue : Click on Advanced Search and search by Format, e.g. Books, Large Print | yes | ||||
| North Ayrshire | North Ayrshire Library and Information Service : Click on Advanced Search and search by Collection or by Format, e.g. Large Print | yes | yes | |||
| North Lanarkshire | North Lanarkshire Libraries : Click on Fuller Search and search by Material Type, e.g. Books, Large Print | yes | ||||
| Orkney | Orkney Library and Archive Click on More Search options and search by format. | yes | yes | yes | ||
| Perth and Kinross | Perth and Kinross Library Catalogue : Click on Advanced Search and search by Collection or by Format, e.g. Talking Books, Large Print, Braille | yes | yes | yes | ||
| Renfrewshire | Renfrewshire Council Library Catalogue : Search by Format/Type of material e.g. ATB – Adult Talking Book (this returns childrens’ books too) | yes | ||||
| Scottish Borders | Scottish Borders Council Library & Information Services Visual Catalogue : Type the author/title plus the format (e.g. Dahl audio) into the Search box and then Refine the search results | yes | yes | |||
| Shetland | Shetland Library catalogue : Click on Advanced Search and search by Format, e.g. Talking Books, Large Print | yes | yes | |||
| South Ayrshire | South Ayrshire Libraries' Online Catalogue : Use the Popular Searches list to look for ‘eReads’ (eBooks), Audio Books and Large Print, or click Advanced Search | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| South Lanarkshire | South Lanarkshire Library Catalogue : Click on Advanced Search and search by Format, e.g. Books, Large Print, Spoken Word | yes | yes | |||
| Stirling | Stirling Council Library : Search by format e.g. Audiobook or Large Print | yes | yes | |||
| West Dunbartonshire | West Dunbartonshire Libraries : Search using the links on the page or click Advanced Catalogue Search and search by Item Type e.g. Talking Book – CD | yes | ||||
| West Lothian | West Lothian Library Catalogue : Click Search then Advanced Search and limit the search for Formats, e.g. Large Print, Talking Book CD | yes | yes | |||
| Western Isles (Eilean Siar) | Western Isles Libraries (Leabharlainn nan Eilean Siar) : No option to limit the search by format – search for the title and then look through to see if audio or Large print is available |