Useful Library Tools
Screen readers are accessibility tools that provide an interface for people with visual impairments, including features such as converting text into Braille for compatible displays. In contrast, Text-to-Speech (TTS) tools are designed for more general use, focusing mainly on converting written text to speech. They are commonly used by individuals with dyslexia or other learning disabilities that make reading difficult, as well as by people who prefer listening to text to improve productivity or reduce eye strain from prolonged screen use.
To learn more about popular Screen Readers and TTS Tools, visit the Study Toolkit. To find out about the read-aloud options in library databases, explore the section below.
The ebooks and articles in our collection are held on various platforms. Some of these platforms have read-aloud features built in, and others don't.
You may need to use a text-to-speech (TTS) tool or a screen reader (all academic databases are compatible with the most popular screen readers), depending on which platform hosts the resource you are reading.
A more detailed description of accessibility features (including the screen reading options) can be found on the publishers' websites. Here are the platforms we subscribe to that provide these features.
Text Only Mode is an option that can be turned on in Ebook Central when using a screen reader such as NVDA or VoiceOver. Once Text Only Mode is turned on, Ebook Central's interface changes to a text-based view, and you can use the screen reader to read the text on the screen and control navigation. To turn on Text Only Mode:
- Click here to visit ProQuest Ebook Central.
- Select Settings.
- Select Profile.
- Choose Enable Text Only Mode.
- Check the privacy and terms of service box.
- Click Save Changes.
- Click Continue.
Once you have saved the changes, you will be redirected to the ProQuest Ebook Central search screen. When you click to read an ebook online, you should see a text-only version of the book, designed to work with any TTS tools or screen readers. Please note that Text Only Mode is supported on laptops and desktops only (not tablets or phones ) and allows you to view pages in plain text, one page at a time.
- For more information on Ebook Central-supported devices, operating systems, and browsers, click here.
- For information on how to use the online reader on a phone or small tablet, click here.
You can also use your screen reader with a chapter download or full ebook download. Open the downloaded book in the Ebook Central Reader App and use the screen reader to read the text of the book, or you can open the downloaded chapter and use a TTS tool to read the PDF. The app also supports text resizing, zooming, and aligns with colour contrast guidelines for readability.
For information on additional accessibility features in Ebook Central, see Accessibility Statement: Ebook Central.
The EBSCO articles (both PDF and HTML formats) have built-in features to support accessibility.
The EBSCO articles provide the ability to:
- Translate the article (Click on the Translate icon
). - Listen to the article being read.
- Download mp3.
- Set reading speed and highlighting options (HTML format).
Most of these options can be accessed by clicking the drop-down Listen menu beneath the Headphone icon.
For more information, see Using the Text-to-Speech feature in EBSCO Interfaces to read full text.
EBSCOhost ebooks
Please see the EBSCO eBook Accessibility User Guide and FAQs here. The guide includes information on what the recommended screen readers and browser combinations are and what other TTS tools you could use. EBSCOhost does not provide an inbuilt read-aloud function for ebooks; however, any screen reader (such as VoiceOver, TalkBack, or NVDA) should work successfully for ebooks in EPUB format. EBSCO also recommends downloading chapters and opening them with your preferred text-to-speech tool.
Most full book downloads require Thorium Reader. Thorium Reader can be used with VoiceOver, NVDA, and JAWS, and it offers other accessibility features such as different contrast modes, font and spacing customisations, text-to-speech, and full keyboard support.
JSTOR Articles
JSTOR doesn't provide an inbuilt read-aloud function, but the JSTOR articles can be read with a screen reader such as NVDA, VoiceOver, or JAWS, or browser plugin tools such as NaturalReader for Chrome.
For information on additional accessibility features in JSTOR, see Accessibility Policies.
To read T&F books, you can either download chapters as PDFs (and use your preferred TTS tool, such as Adobe Read Aloud) or read the ebooks online in the Kortext reader. Text in the Kortext reader can be converted to speech using the built-in Read-aloud function available for EPUB files. To use the read-aloud feature, click on the Study Tools icon in the top right corner. The Kortext reader can also work with other screen readers including JAWS, TalkBack, NVDA, and VoiceOver. On mobile devices, it is recommended to download chapters and read the PDFs with your preferred text-to-speech tool.
For information on additional accessibility features in Taylor and Francis, see the Taylor & Francis eBooks Accessibility Statement.
Library databases have built-in tools, such as citation tools, to make working with information easier.
To have the database generate the reference for you, look out for buttons labelled:
- citations,
- cite; or
- the symbol "
Most library databases SAE subscribes to will automatically default to the correct referencing format, but remember there are many different referencing styles. Make sure the option for APA7 is selected before generating the reference. In addition to built-in library generators, there are additional options via apps and plugins listed in the Citation generator types below.
There are a variety of reference generators. Find some popular examples and a tutorial on MyBib below.
Watch a video:
How to use MyBib
How to use MyBib
(SAE University College, 2023)
The Primo Research Assistant is a tool powered by Generative Artificial Intelligence, which allows you to explore academic content by asking questions in natural language.
Visit the section What is the Primo Research Assistant? for a detailed demonstration and to find answers to these questions:
- How does the Primo Research Assistant work?
- How can I ask a good question?
- What are the limitations of the Primo Research Assistant?
- Can I use the tool in my assessments?
There are a number of AI assistants within library databases. See the following guidance for the types of features used in each one.
There are a variety of AI tools that can help you with your research.
Here are a few to help you get started.
Research Assistant
Find concepts, summarise and extract data from papers.
Free and paid options available.
Research Assistant
Helps you understand research papers by explaining academic texts in simple words.
Free and paid options available.
Explanation Generator.
The Professor:
Reframes terms and phrases for easy understanding. Uses a sliding scale of "spiciness" to break down terms even further. Free to use and ad-free.
Explore more via the AI search engines below:
