Q. How can I have an e-book read aloud to me?

The e-books in our collection are held on different e-book platforms. Some of these platforms have read-aloud features built in and others do not. You may need to use a text-to-speech tool depending on which platform hosts the e-book you are reading.

Why use a text-to-speech tool?

Text-to-speech tools are aimed at users who prefer to listen to content instead of reading, people with dyslexia or other learning disabilities, people who have English as an additional language and find text challenging, or simply to provide users with an alternative way to consume web content. You can install a text-to-speech tool as a browser plug-in, so you can access it directly when reading an e-book online.

For example, Read Aloud can be installed on most browsers, and the voice, reading speed, pitch, and text highlighting can be adjusted to suit your preference.

VLeBooks

This platform has a built-in text-to-speech reader, available through ‘Read Online’ which can be used from both desktop and mobile views. If you wish to have an e-book held on this platform read out loud to you, simply open the e-book to read online and then click the ReadAloud icon next to each page.

ProQuest Ebook Central

This platform is designed to work with text-to-speech tools when it is in Text Only Mode. To turn on Text Only Mode:

1. Click here to visit ProQuest Ebook Central.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Profile.
4. Enter your University of Sunderland e-mail details.
5. Choose Enable Text Only Mode.
6. Check the privacy and terms of service box.
7. Click Save Changes.
8. Click Continue.

Once you have saved the changes you will be redirected to the ProQuest Ebook Central search screen. Now when you click to read an e-book online, you should now see a text-only version of the book, designed to work with text-to-speech tools. Please note that Text Only Mode is supported on laptops and desktops only (not tablets or phones). Click here to read more about supported devices and browsers.