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Audio Options for Databases

This page provides information about audio options for listening to content in library databases. Below you will find information on audio options available on mobile devices, in web browsers, for PDFs, and for databases PCC Library subscribes to. Use the links below in “Contents” to jump to the audio information you need.

Screenreaders and Accessibility

Library databases present articles in both HTML and PDF format. HTML articles can be read aloud easily by databases offering those options. Many elements can interfere with PDF accessibility such as security features and document structure, so not all PDFs may be read aloud.

A screen reader is assistive technology used by individuals with a visual disability in order to navigate the internet without seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse. The screen reader speaks aloud the text on a digital screen using a speech synthesizer. JAWS and NVDA are the most commonly used screen readers. This software must be downloaded to an individual’s computer to be able to be used for “text to speech” options.

NOTE: Some of the resources linked on this page may use digital content, images, or text that may cause barriers for those using assistive, or accessibility-related technologies. If you encounter barriers, please contact the PCC Access Tech Team at access-tech-group@pcc.edu or by calling 971-722-TECH (971-722-8324).

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General read aloud options

Mobile device read aloud options

Screen readers are included in the device operating system and can be turned on in the device settings.

Apple

Android

Web browser read aloud features

PDF read aloud readers

Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat both have read aloud functions for any PDF that is ADA accessible. Learn more about Adobe Acrobat Accessibility features.

  • Download a PDF from the database.
  • Open it in Adobe Acrobat
  • Set up the “read aloud” options by going to “preferences” then selecting the “reading” category.
  • Set your “read out loud options” including volume, default voice, and speech attributes.

To start reading out loud, go to the top-left menu and select “view”, then select “Read Out Loud”. You can choose to have the whole document read aloud or just the page you are on.

Database specific read aloud options

Credo Reference

Access Credo Reference
Listen to or download the MP3 of an article or book by selecting the “Read Aloud” button.

Ebook Central (ProQuest)

Access Ebook Central
Ebook Central books can be read aloud with Adobe Digital Editions.

  • Install Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) software on your computer. Get help with installation and activation of ADE.
  • You will need to open Adobe Digital Editions and authorize it on your computer. You can choose the option “I want to authorize my computer without an ID”.
  • Search for a book in Ebook Central and download it to your computer. The file will have an extension of .acsm.
  • Locate the file in your downloads. It should open using Adobe Digital Editions.
  • Once Adobe Digital Editions is open, use one of the tools below to use Adobe Digital Editions with screen readers
    • JAWS (on Windows) – Download from here.
    • NVDA (on Windows) – Download from here
    • VoiceOver (on Mac) – Download from here.

EBSCOhost

Access EBSCOhost

HTML

All HTML full-text articles in EBSCOhost databases have a text-to-speech option and an option to download the audio file as an MP3. Some articles give the option for the article to be read aloud. These are article specific and not for all articles. Select the HTML link and if an article has this option, a “Listen” button will appear at the beginning of the full text section or in the side navigation.

You can also select different reading voices as well as download the MP3 audio file by selecting the menu button (three stacked horizontal lines) at the top left of the screen to expand it, then select “Listen”.

PDF

EBSCOhost PDFs published after September 2004 are ADA compliant and may be read with the Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat’s read aloud feature.

Gale

Access Gale
All Gale databases have read aloud features in all available full text articles in HTML. The entire text must be displayed for this feature to appear, so you will have to click on a “full text” link or the link to “View more” in certain results. On an article page, a “Listen” button will appear in a toolbar below the article title if audio is available. You can either listen by clicking on the “Listen” button, or you can download the MP3 by selecting this option in the listen toolbar.

JSTOR

Access JSTOR
Search for an article in JSTOR. To access the full text of articles, choose the “Download” button from the results list. The download button is the first button of three to the right of the article title.

After downloading the PDF, select “Save”. Open the PDF using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to have it read aloud.

Libby

Access Libby
With Libby, you can listen to borrowed audiobooks right on your mobile device or desktop. If an audio version of a book is available, a “headphone” image and audio file duration will appear on the book’s description page in Libby.

To set audiobooks as the default, use a “pin” for audiobooks to automatically apply filters and sorts when you are browsing and searching.

Set a pin:

  • Tap “library” or search the “magnifying glass” in the footer
  • Select a filter or sort
  • Select “show titles”
  • Select the applied filter or sort
  • Tap “pin filter” or “pin sort”

ProQuest

Access ProQuest
ProQuest databases have a text to speech player that appears on the “Full text” section of an article (below the abstract and above the body of the document). You will need to select the HTML format of the article. The player displays as a gray box with a play button and two time codes shown as “0:00” until you start to play.

To download the audio file, click on the download button at the end of the player.

SIRS Issues Researcher (ProQuest)

Access SIRS Issues Researcher
This database features read aloud options from the full entry of any selection. It is available from the “Listen” button right before the article summary. Clicking on this button opens a player at the bottom of the screen. Playback speed can be adjusted, speaker volume changed, and there is an option to download the MP3 audio file by selecting the ellipsis button (three dots).