Taylor & Francis, a global leader in academic publishing, has announced the launch of its most advanced and accessible eReader, designed to provide an inclusive and enriched experience for all readers. The new eReader, now available on the Taylor & Francis eBooks platform, integrates a full suite of features that cater to the diverse needs of students, researchers, and general readers alike.
A Unified Approach to eReading
Previously, the Taylor & Francis eBooks platform offered two separate eReader options—one with basic functionalities and another with advanced features. In response to user feedback, the publisher has now introduced a single, comprehensive eReader that combines personalization, powerful search capabilities, and offline access into one streamlined application.
Arpit Goel, Senior Product Manager at Taylor & Francis, emphasized the user-centric approach to development:
“The Taylor & Francis eBooks platform serves a wide audience, from general readers to specialized researchers. Our goal was to create an eReader that allows everyone to maximize their engagement with our content. Recognizing that users access content across various devices and while on the move, the new eReader is designed to be highly flexible and adaptable.”
Enhanced Accessibility for Inclusive Learning
A key highlight of the new eReader is its commitment to accessibility, aligning with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. Developed in collaboration with Taylor & Francis’ accessibility team, the eReader introduces several features aimed at making content accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Notable accessibility features include:
- Support for ePub3 format: Recognized as the most accessible eBook format, ePub3 is now available for over 175,000 Taylor & Francis books, ensuring a superior reading experience for users with varying needs.
- Read-aloud functionality: Leveraging text-to-speech technology, the eReader allows content to be read aloud in multiple languages, improving accessibility for visually impaired users.
- Customizable font options: Readers can adjust font sizes, styles, and spacing to align with their personal preferences, further enhancing the inclusivity of the platform.
Stacy Scott, Head of Accessibility at Taylor & Francis, highlighted the company’s commitment to inclusive publishing:
“Our accessibility program is built around the principle of creating products and services that are ‘born accessible.’ Throughout the development process, we prioritized inclusivity, and we are thrilled to offer an eReader that meets the highest accessibility standards.”
Cutting-Edge Features for an Optimized Reading Experience
The newly launched eReader is equipped with state-of-the-art functionalities designed to enhance user engagement and efficiency, whether on desktops, tablets, or mobile devices. Some of the key features include:
- Flexible offline access: Readers can download content in ePub or PDF formats, allowing them to continue their reading journey even without an internet connection.
- Advanced search tools: Researchers and students can efficiently locate specific terms, phrases, or concepts throughout the entire book, streamlining their study and research process.
- Customization options: Users can personalize their reading experience by bookmarking pages, adding annotations, and highlighting important sections, with all notes stored in a centralized location for easy management.
- Seamless integration with reference management tools: The eReader integrates with popular software such as EndNote and RefWorks, enabling users to export citations effortlessly and manage bibliographic data with ease.
Driving Flexibility and Engagement
Recognizing the evolving digital landscape, Taylor & Francis has designed the new eReader to offer a responsive reading experience, automatically adapting to various screen sizes and resolutions. This ensures that users can seamlessly transition between devices without compromising usability or accessibility.
Availability and Future Prospects
The new eReader is now fully available to all users of the Taylor & Francis eBooks website, accessible directly from book and chapter pages. The company envisions this development as a significant step forward in enhancing digital learning experiences, with future updates anticipated to further refine the platform’s capabilities.
By prioritizing accessibility, personalization, and technological innovation, Taylor & Francis continues to reaffirm its commitment to empowering students, researchers, and readers worldwide, ensuring they have access to knowledge in the most efficient and inclusive way possible.
For more information and to experience the new eReader, visit the Taylor & Francis eBooks website.