A guide to leisure reading materials available for blind and partially sighted children. Many of the resources listed here are available at our online shop .
Shared reading books
Tactile books
Large print books
Accessible image books
Magazines
Ways of Reading leaflet
RNIB National Library Service
Shared reading books are print books that have been adapted to include braille on interleaved clear plastic sheets, so the pictures and print story can be read underneath, enabling shared reading between sighted and blind readers, such as parent and child, teacher and child, friends.
RNIB has a collection for sale - please note there is limited stock of each title available and choice of titles changes throughout the year.
ClearVision Library is postal lending library with a large collection of books in shared reading format. For further information contact
ClearVision on 020 8789 9575 or email info@clearvisionproject.org
Our delightful fabric tactile books encourage children to explore with their fingers the way that different materials feel and sound.
FingerFun books contain simple, entertaining stories in large print with bold black and white illustrations and a robust, brightlycoloured thermoform of an everyday object at every page opening.
Our National Library Service provides giant print leisure titles in 24 point type for loan.
National Blind Children's Society (NBCS) produces customised large print fiction, revision guides and children's classics for home
RNIB – supporting blind and partially sighted people
Registered charity number 226227

and school. Contact NBCS on 01278 76 47 64 or email customeyes@nbcs.org.uk
Our range of accessible image books contain coloured clear print and tactile black and white images, as well as accompanying supportive descriptions in 24-point print and contracted braille
(grade two). These descriptions encourage the user to read the image in a structured and logical way and, if required, enable sighted assistants to support them.
RNIB has over 30 accessible leisure and vocational magazines covering a wide range of topics and audiences. From magazines for children and young people to ones for adults specialising in technology, politics, physiotherapy, shopping, literature, puzzles, music and more. These magazines are all compiled from several original print sources to give readers a really good selection of articles in their chosen interest.
The Ways of Reading leaflet is designed to help you find reading materials in accessible formats for children of all ages who are blind or partially sighted - for pleasure, information or school work.
The leaflet is free of charge and is a joint venture by Calibre Audio
Library, ClearVision Library, National Blind Children's Society and
RNIB.
The RNIB Library Catalogue contains all titles available from our
National Library Service including Talking Books, braille, giant print and braille music.
The catalogue can also be found on UnityUK, which is used by public libraries across the UK. This means that your local library may have access to UnityUK and can check what's available in accessible formats on their usual computer system.
rnib.org.uk

Our children's librarians are available to assist young people, parents and teachers with enquiries about books and reading.
There are over 4000 titles in braille, giant print (24 point) and unabridged audio on CD for children and young people. From contemporary novels to older favourites we have books by authors such as Stephenie Meyer, Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson, and
Michael Morpurgo to name just a few! We also stock non-fiction, and although we don't loan text books, many of our titles do indirectly support the Curriculum. Books can be sent to home or school.
Contact our children's librarians on 0161 355 2061 or email childrenslibrarian@rnib.org.uk
Our team of professional librarians can offer access to, and advice and information about, books and other reading matter available in alternative formats such as: braille, DAISY, cassette and large print. We cover a range of subject matter, for both study and leisure reading. The team is able to help with the majority of book enquiries or, if not, point you to an organisation that can. If appropriate, we may also be able to provide a catalogue of available listings.
Contact our reader services team on 01733 37 53 33 or email
LibraryInfo@rnib.org.uk
rnib.org.uk