Introduction to Accessible Audiobook Production

Suggested Prerequisite

Before you read this, you might want to read:

• Rationale for Creating Accessible Content

Accessible Audiobooks

It is common for people to think that an audiobook is, by definition, accessible to readers with print disabilities. Since the text is recorded and audible, it is understandable to expect that there is not much else to do. But there are more elements to consider than just recording the book: it needs to be easily discovered, opened, navigated, and listened to – with the tracks in the correct order. The information linked to in the Related Content section below is designed to help audiobook creators design and produce audiobooks that can be discovered and enjoyed with ease, and to introduce the many points that should be considered throughout the process.

Accessibility in audiobooks is an evolving topic as technologies change and improve and our collective knowledge expands. Practices are not fixed, and different approaches may work better for some than for others, but the information in these pages will hopefully offer helpful information that publishers can use to get started, as well as information which will prompt considerations and discussions helping publishers develop their own in-house guidelines.

When it comes to audiobooks, the main goal for a publisher should be to create robust, accessible audiobooks, and provide readers with as much agency as possible. The opportunity to make choices, and have a say in one’s own experience, is a key element of what makes a book accessible.

In these resources, we review some of the ways to improve the accessibility of audiobooks. This is an evolving area, and there are many aspects which will need to be considered and discussed by the publishing team, and sometimes the authors and illustrators. The information you find on this site should help ground your discussions, and help you make more accessible audiobooks!