EBooks and the Disabled-Ion Systems eMonocle

ION Systems, Inc., creators of the GalaxyLibrary.com (see article from Issue 3 of this newsletter), recently released the ION eMonocle Reader. This downloadable ebook software exceeds the low vision requirements for both the Americans with Dasabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The software, which is compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux, reads any ebook in an Open eBook format without modification-- in other words without any added proprietary formatting, such as that added by Adobe, Microsoft, etc..

This easy to use ebook software allows the user to adjust the text's font from 4 to 144 point. Each time the font is changed, the text pagination is reformatted so that it is never necessary to scroll the screen. Images can be enlarged and rotated. eMonocle also allows for full-text searching and bookmarking, as well as alterable default preferences of font and color scheme. The software is free and available for downloading from ION Systems website. Unfortunately, there is only a limited number of ebooks that are in unmodified OeB format, with GalaxyLibrary.com carrying approximately 3,200 available titles. According to ION Systems, future releases of the eMonocle will include interface options for Braille readers.