We are all reading online much more than ever before. Reading on a screen is a different experience to reading print materials. While this undoubtedly suits some people, many others may find an increase in screen-reading difficult.
The purpose of this guide is to
There are many ways that you can optimise your device, make use of software, or modify your screen, in order to improve the experience of reading online.
You can adjust the colour contrast, display size, brightness and other features of your device's display in the settings. For Windows, check out the Microsoft Ease of Access settings. For macOS, try the Display Settings. My Computer My Way has more tips on customising your online experience on a wide range of operating systems.
You may already have access to an e-reader, like a Kindle or Kobo device, and these are better designed for reading than most computer or mobile screens. An alternative is Thorium Reader, a free e-reader that you can download for Windows, MacOS and Linux. It allows you to read anything in an ePUB or pdf format and has a wide range of functionality.
If you are a Google Chrome user, you can access a free browser extension for a reading ruler. This highlights the line you are currently reading, and moves around the screen with your arrow keys, so it can help you to keep your place in a long PDF. It can be particularly useful for dyslexic readers.
Changing the brightness of your screen can make a difference to the experience of reading online. Free software such as F.lux will automatically change the colour of your screen depending on the time of day, to make it easier to read. There is also advice online about calibrating your monitor, such as this post from LifeHacker.
Browser add-ons such as Postlight Reader remove ads and other distracting content, leaving just text and images. Can work well with cluttered news or ejournal sites.
Taking notes can help you to absorb more information from reading on screen. Your notes will also help you later when you need to track down a reference. It can be harder to locate specific bits of information in an electronic text because you don't have a physical place to return to. Remember to note the page number or another landmark (chapter, paragraph number etc. - not all electronic texts have page numbers) for key information so you can easily find it again.
Even though you are reading online, you can still take notes and organise your thoughts by hand. Try making a few bullet points or writing a summary at the end of every article or chapter. You could draw a concept map, or use the Cornell method.
There are lots of ways to take notes online too. You have access to OneNote through your University of Cambridge Microsoft account. This digital notebook will allow you to sort content; tag, annotate, and highlight; record audio notes and insert online videos; take clippings from websites; and share your files. Evernote can also be used as a mobile app, and includes web clipping and annotation functions. Diigo is a free web extension that can help you collect, tag, and annotate resources as you read.
CamGuides provide further information about academic reading skills, including critical reading and note-making.
Your college might run sessions on note taking. Contact your college library for information.
There are a number of ways you can get your device to read text aloud to you (Text-to-Speech or TTS). The tools below are free or integrated into device operating systems. It is worth trying out different voices, speeds and pitch to see what works best for you.
You can have pdfs read aloud in Adobe Reader (see also Browser tools and add-ons for pdf reading):
Epub readers offer a number of tools to make reading easier, including built-in text-to-speech (TTS). To use an epub reader you will first need to convert a pdf file to epub using a conversion tool such as SensusAccess.
iPhones and iPads have a built-in feature called Spoken Content which you can use to read text aloud (including some pdfs) on your device. You can operate Spoken Content with specific finger swipes or with the on-screen Speech Controller. There is a wide range of voices to choose from (top tip: Enhanced voices sound more natural).
Android devices have a speak aloud feature called TalkBack. There is also a ‘Select to Speak’ function which lets you tap particular sections of text to hear them read aloud. There are options for adjusting the pace and pitch of the speaking voice.
The main users of screen readers are people who are blind or have very limited vision. The technology reads aloud everything on your computer system. Screen readers take time to learn, but may be helpful when browser options aren't up to the job. The following are free screen readers:
NVDA for Windows
Microsoft Narrator
VoiceOver for Apple devices
This Windows-only suite of tools can be run from a USB stick or your desktop. It includes a text-to-speech reader (ATBar) which will read any text you have copied to your clipboard, from most applications.
An alternative to using a text-to-speech tool is to generate an audio (MP3) file from text.
If you create an audio file you are creating a copy under copyright law. You should not share the file with others and you should stay within the limits allowed under the fair dealing exception for private study and non-commercial research (unless you are eligible for the disability copyright exemption). For further details about copyright and the exemption for disabled people, see the Alternate Formats page of the Cambridge libraries: accessibility and disability Libguide.
If you have a print disability and are registered with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre, there are some options available to help you with reading on screens or from digital texts.
A print-disabled person is:
a person who has a physical or mental impairment which prevents the person from enjoying a copyright work to the same degree as a person who does not have that impairment
The Libraries Accessibility Service can provide electronic alternate formats of books in Cambridge libraries, under the Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc) (Amendment) Regulations 2018. The formats we provide should work well with assistive technologies, such as those described in this guide.
We can get electronic alternatives to:
Files are usually in PDF or Word. In some cases we can only get epubs.
You must have registered with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre to use this service.
Contact the Libraries Accessibility Service to request files.
SensusAccess is a free, self-service facility. It is designed to allow disabled students and staff (or those supporting them) at the University of Cambridge to create alternative formats of digital documents. Using SensusAccess you can convert PDFs, JPEGs and other files into an e-book, text file, Word file, audio or braille. Further information and e-training is available. There is no need to register for this service.
In addition to the free options mentioned in this guide, the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre can advise on assistive technology for students who need it.
The University Library (UL) has a PC running Dolphin Supernova and Dragon Professional Speech-to-Text. It is located in a private, bookable study room, which is part of the South Wing 3 Study Hub.
To use the PC you need to book the assistive technology room and email the Libraries Accessibility Service so that we can activate your account.
Different ebook suppliers offer different functionality. The Ebook platform hints and tips box, from the ebooks LibGuide, can teach you how to navigate a variety of ebook platforms and introduces features that might enhance your electronic reading experience.
This box highlights functionality for some of the most-used and quirky ebook platforms. Contact the ebooks team if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
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This link opens in a new window| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. |
| Coverage | All Cambridge University Press published (and open access) ebooks and selected ebooks from partner presses such as Edinburgh University Press and Boydell & Brewer. |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | No. As with all electronic resources though, you should observe copyright regulations. |
| Simultaneous user access? |
No limit.
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| Formats available | All content is offered in pdf format with some also in HTML. |
| Do I need to create an account? | Only if you wish to save searches and bookmark favourite content. Click 'Register'. |
| Downloading | Yes. Chapters or entire ebooks can be downloaded to pdf or sent to Kindle. |
| Accessibility | Read the accessibility statement for Cambridge Core. |
| Known issues |
In both cases, please contact us for help.
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This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
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| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. Raven is also required for printing, copying and downloading on-campus. |
| Coverage | Users should be able to access all titles visible on the platform. |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | Yes. Restricted printing and copying. Download maximum varies from 3 to 21 days, depending on publisher. |
| Simultaneous user access? | Depends on title. Some ebooks are restricted to a maximum of 3 or 1 concurrent users. When the limit is reached, you will see a message 'Your institution has access to x copies of this book. All copies are currently in use. Please check back later, or search for another book.' |
| Formats available | Read online (desktops, tablets and laptops only, NOT phones). PDF for chapter downloads and EPub for whole book downloads (whole book downloads available on phones). |
| Downloading |
Yes. Book sections can be downloaded as pdfs and kept indefinitely (requires Raven). Some titles offer a full download to EPub of between 3 and 21 days. Please note that for ebooks capped at a maximum number of simultaneous users (e.g. 3-user access), downloading for offline reading can cause bottlenecks at times of high demand. Please avoid downloading the entire book if possible, or select the minimum time period you can manage with to facilitate access for all. EPub requires Adobe Digital Editions. To download to iOS or Android devices you will also need Bluefire Reader and an Adobe ID. |
| Accessibility | Ebook Central is designed for patrons with accessibility needs, particularly the blind and visually impaired. The platform has an accessibility mode which users can switch on themselves. For further information see this LibGuide from Ebook Central. |
| Known issues |
Raven details are not normally needed to read an Ebook Central ebook on-campus. However, some titles will request Raven authentication the first time they are used. Users without Raven passwords should contact engcc@lib.cam.ac.uk for help in this circumstance. When using a phone you will need to download the ebooks. 'Read online' is limited to the Detail page, Sign in and Download buttons. |
This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new window| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. |
| Coverage | Users should be able to access all titles visible on the platform. |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | Yes. Restricted printing, copying and saving. Download maximum 7 days. |
| Simultaneous user access? | Depends on title. Some ebooks are restricted to a maximum of 3 or 1 concurrent users. When the limit is reached, you will see a message 'Sorry this book is in use'. Please try again later (you might need to refresh the screen). |
| Formats available | PDF and EPub depending on publisher. |
| Do I need to create an account? | You will need to create an account to download ebooks for offline reading. Follow the prompts after clicking the download button. |
| Downloading |
Yes for most titles. Book sections can be saved as PDFs indefinitely. For some titles the whole book can be downloaded and read offline for up to 7 days using Adobe Digital Editions. An EBSCO eBooks app is available on the App Store® or Google Play™ for reading offline on Apple or Android devices (or use Bluefire Reader). Watch a short tutorial video on downloading EBSCOhost ebooks. Please note that for ebooks capped at a maximum number of simultaneous users (e.g. 3-user access), downloading for offline reading can cause bottlenecks at times of high demand. Please avoid downloading the entire book if possible, or select the minimum time period you can manage with to facilitate access for all. |
| Accessibility | Read the EBSCO eBook Accessibility User Guide and FAQs |
This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new window| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. |
| Coverage |
Only titles in: Archaeology, Biology, Business & Management, Classics, Computer Science, Economics, Education, History, Law, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, and Sociology. Temporary access to titles in: Chemistry, Clinical Medicine & Allied Health, Earth Sciences & Geography, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Palliative Care, Physics, Public Health & Epidemiology and Social Work. Available titles show |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | No. As with all electronic resources though, you should observe copyright regulations. |
| Simultaneous user access? | No limit. |
| Formats available | HTML and PDF |
| Do I need to create an account? | Only if you wish to save searches or titles that you have previously viewed. See 'Personal account' section on Oxford Academic for more details. |
| Downloading |
Individual chapters can be downloaded to PDF and kept indefinitely. Open the chapter via the Table of Contents and click 'PDF' under the chapter heading:
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| Accessibility | Read the Oxford Academic Accessibility Statement. |
This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. |
| Coverage | Selected book and protocol titles from Biomedicine, Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics and Physics collections only. Coverage also includes a small selection of individually purchased titles published by Springer and Palgrave Macmillan. |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | No. As with all electronic resources though, you should observe copyright regulations. |
| Simultaneous user access? | No limit. |
| Formats available | PDF and EPub. Some content also in HTML. |
| Downloading | Yes. Chapters and entire ebooks can be downloaded to PDF. Entire books can also be downloaded to EPub. Pdf requires Adobe Reader and EPub requires Adobe Digital Editions (or Bluefire Reader if using an iPhone/iPad or Android device). |
| Known issues | Application Error when logging in on the website. This error occurs if your browser has remembered a previous login and attempts to skip parts of the process. Springer blocks these kinds of logins after a period of time. You can resolve the issue by clearing your cache and cookies. |
| Further information | Springer Link ebooks: hints, tips and known issues |
This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
| Access and authentication | IP recognition on campus. Requires Raven details off-campus. |
| Coverage |
The entire Torrossa catalogue of ebooks is listed in iDiscover, but to activate full text access on the Torrossa platform users must click on the lightbulb icon above the sample page and submit a request. Once a request is approved the ebook is activated and is available for all subsequent users.
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| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? |
Yes. Torrossa is 'DRM-lite'. Entire books can be downloaded as PDF files which will expire after 14 days. There is no limit on the number of times you can download titles. Printing and copy/paste is not available. |
| Simultaneous user access? | No limit. |
| Formats available | All content is offered in PDF format (expiring after 14 days) |
| Downloading |
Yes. Ebooks download as PDF files which expire after 14 days. Downloading works much better if you download to Adobe Reader rather than your browser (if you open the PDF in your browser you will see a page of downloading instructions rather than the ebook itself). You may need to change your browser settings to do this: Firefox:
Chrome:
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| Important |
Until ebooks on this platform are activated by a user request, only a sample page is visible. If you wish to access an ebook, please click on "Suggest this title for purchase" under the lightbulb icon and provide your details. The Italian Specialist will then liaise with you directly. Once a title has been approved and activated the ebook is available for all users and the Download button will appear.
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This box highlights functionality for some of our most-used and quirky platforms. Contact us if you have any questions about these or any of our other 60+ ebook platforms.
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new window| Access and authentication | Requires Raven login on and off-campus. |
| Coverage | Users should be able to access all titles visible on the platform. |
| Digital Rights Management (DRM)? | Yes. Restricted printing and copying. Download maximum varies from 1 to 5 days, depending on publisher. |
| Simultaneous user access? | Depends on title. Some ebooks are restricted to a maximum number of concurrent users (1, 3 or occasionally more). When the limit is reached, the platform will inform you. |
| Formats available | Read online (HTML) and EPUB. |
| Downloading |
Yes. Entire ebooks can be downloaded to EPUB, which requires Adobe Digital Editions (or Bluefire Reader or the VLeBooks app if using an iPhone/iPad or Android device). Please note that for ebooks capped at a maximum number of simultaneous users (e.g. 3-user access), downloading for offline reading can cause bottlenecks at times of high demand. Please use 'read online' if possible, or select the minimum time period you can manage with to facilitate access for all. |
| Accessibility | DRM-free PDF downloads are NOT available, but the platform itself has Accessibility Settings where you can e.g. set preferences for font and contrast, and the online reader offers options such as changing background colours and built-in Read Aloud. For further information see this VLeBooks Accessibility Statement. |
| Known issues |
Some iPad, iPhone and iMac users have been unable to access ebooks in VLeBooks' “Read Online” mode, as many iOS devices block pop-ups by default. You may need to enable pop-ups to access ebooks in “Read Online” mode. To enable pop-ups on your Safari browser (on iOS):
Please also ensure that you are using Safari 5 or a more recent version. To enable pop-ups on your Google Chrome browser (on iOS):
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Image credit: Alice the Camera
