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EasyReader

EasyReader is a free accessible reading app designed for readers with blindness, low vision, or dyslexia. Blind Low Vision NZ has joined Vision Australia, RNIB, CELA, and many other international blindness support agencies in using the app for members to access their library services.

A closeup photo of an iphone with the EasyReader app open

Setting up the EasyReader App

You will need

  • An Amazon account
  • A mobile device, such as an Apple product (iPhone, iPad), or an Android phone or tablet.
  • Download the EasyReader App
    Download the EasyReader app to your mobile device from Apple App Store or Google Play.
  • Call Blind Low Vision NZ
    Call Blind Low Vision NZ (0800 24 33 33) to link your Amazon account with our library service. If you don’t have an Amazon account, please register one with http://amazon.com.au
  • Add the Blind Low Vision Library
    To add the Blind Low Vision NZ Library, select the side menu. This is the button at the top left and looks like a stack of books
  • Manage Libraries
    Select ‘Manage Libraries’ to display a list of libraries.
  • Set Blind Low Vision Library
    Switch the ‘Blind Low Vision NZ’ button to on. Blind Low Vision NZ will now be displayed in the side menu.
  • Log on with Amazon
    Select Blind Low Vision NZ from the side menu to Login. Select ‘Continue’
  • Amazon Sign-in
    Select ‘Continue with Login with Amazon’ to continue We require this to meet our legal obligations to the Copyright Act 1994.
  • Enter username and password
    Login with your Amazon username and password and select the ‘Sign-in’ Button. Select ‘Keep me signed in’ make accessing the Blind Low Vision NZ collection faster.
  • Complete Sign-in
    Select Allow to complete Amazon Sign in

Setup is now complete. You can now search through the Blind Low Vision collection of books, magazines and newspapers.

Finding a Book

With the BLVNZ EasyReader App

There are various ways you can find a book using the Blind Low Vision EasyReader App.

  • Search by Title
  • Search by Author
  • Search by Book Number
  • Browse by Subject
  • Recommended Books

Search by Title

  • Type the title in the search field at the top of the screen.
  • It will then display a list of results in order of relevance.
  • Swipe to move through the results.

Search by Author

  • You can also search by the author, type the name in the search field.
  • It will display a list of results in order of relevance.
  • Swipe to move through the results.

Select the Subject

  • To browse by subject, select Books.
  • You will then come to a list of subjects in order when they were added to the library. Newest books are at the top of the list.
  • Select the subject
  • You can search within this subject category

Search by Book Number

  • Every book in the library has a unique Book Number.
  • Type the number in the search field to find a specific book.
  • Book numbers can be found by searching our library catalogue online at blindlowvision.org.nz. Book Numbers are also used in our Sound and Touch and Bookmarks publications

Recommended Books

  • You can browse books that are recommended by our library readers.
  • Select Recommended Books.
  • You will then come to a list of subjects in alphabetical order.
  • Select a subject to go to a list of books in that subject in order of popularity.

Downloading a Book

  • In your search results, select the Book Information
  • Select the Download button to download the book to your phone.
  • Once downloaded the select the Open button to play the book

Note: As the Book is on your device you do not require Wi-Fi to play the book.

Playing a Book

Gestures for Audio Books and Magazines

  • Two finger double tap: Start / pause playback
  • Two finger swipe left / right: Skip backward / forward
  • Two finger swipe up / down: Increases / decreases the audio speed

Additional Gestures for Newspapers

  • Single tap: Moves the highlight to the specific text
  • Double tap: Read the chosen word using default TTS voice
  • Long tap: Selects the current word and opens the pop-up toolbar
  • One finger swipe up / down: Scrolls the text in the Reader up / down
  • Two finger pinch / stretch: Decreases / increases the size of the text

Descriptions and Functions of Player Screen Buttons

  • Side Menu
    Description: Vertical stack of three books. Opens the side menu.
  • Book Navigation
    Description: 6 horizontal lines representing text. Opens a screen where you can navigate by headings pages and bookmarks. Chapters are usually listed in headings.
  • Search
    Description: Magnifying glass. Search function for any text in the current opened content. Note this will not search through audio content.
  • Text settings
    Description: Capital A. Adjust text settings such as text size, line spacing and using alternate colour themes. These settings only apply to text content such as Newspapers.
  • Audio Settings
    Description: Speaker with 3 waves. Adjust audio settings such as audio speed.
  • Options
    Description: Three dots in a column. Contains the following settings:

    • Sleep timer.
    • Where am I?
    • Book information.
    • EasyReader Help.

When in Newspapers, there is the option to switch to screen reader view so you can use JAWS or NVDA to read the text rather than the EasyReader voices.

  • Chapter Information
    Text showing the title and what chapter is currently playing and how many chapters in total.
  • Bookmarks
    Icon Description: Piece of ribbon. Add a bookmark to mark a point you wish to refer to later. You can navigate bookmarks by using the Book Navigation button
  • Previous
    Navigates to the previous book default. When reading a book, this will go to the previous chapter Note this can be modified using navigation settings
  • Play / Pause
    Plays the book. Also pauses the book if content is playing.
  • Next
    Navigates to the next book default setting. When reading a book, this will skip to the next chapter. Note this can be modified using navigation settings
  • Page Number
    Text showing the current page number if available.
  • Navigation Settings
    Icon Description: Compass. Various settings that can change the way the navigation buttons operate.

    • Simple navigation layout on/off
    • Full screen on play on/off
    • Navigation mode settings
    • Set progress bar settings
    • Show position settings

Additional Settings

These settings are available when simple layout is set to off in Navigation settings

  • Navigation Slider Control.
    Allows user to swipe up and down to navigate a chapter using a slide control. Duration and time left are announced after the slider control.
  • Extra previous and next buttons
    Extra previous and next buttons to navigate by heading. These controls are in addition to the simple layout previous and next controls so you can navigate in two different increments. For example, you can navigate by heading and by 5 minutes. These controls are to the left and right of the existing previous and next controls in tab order.

Removing a Book

Follow these instructions to remove book from your phone or tablet.

  • In My Library select the Book Information button of the book you want to return or remove.
  • Select the remove book button to remove the book from your phone or tablet. The remove book button is an image of a rubbish bin.
  • A pop-up message will come up to confirm you want to remove the book from your device. Select Yes to continue and remove the book from your device.

Resources

Setting up and using EasyReader for Blind Low Vision NZ Library (docx, 29KB)