Reading

DAISY Technology

Summary: All you need to know about the DAISY audio book format

The DAISY format

DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) is a universal standard format for reading and publishing digital talking books. DAISY technology allows for new ways to deliver information quickly and efficiently using high quality synthetic speech or human voice.

Growing from worldwide co-operation between the major libraries for people with sight problems, one of the main aims was to devise a standard which could be universally adopted. This would allow organisations to work together more efficiently; sharing the production of books and creating an international collection of accessible information, available to people with sight problems.

What is a DAISY book?

A DAISY book is a digital talking book, designed to allow the reader to move around the text as efficiently and flexibly as a print user. DAISY allows the reader to: make bookmarks, pause books, speed up or slow down, read or ignore footnotes and jump easily from chapter to chapter, heading to heading and page to page.

Books and information published in the DAISY format can only be read using a DAISY player or DAISY software on a computer, both of which can be purchased from the online shop.

A DAISY player is similar to a CD player where you can access tracks very quickly and flexibly. The range of players available from RNIB cater for different needs, from the portable players ideal for leisure reading to high performance players more suited to study material or work documents.

How do I get DAISY books from RNIB?

With thousands of books covering the classics to contemporary fiction, there is plenty to choose from:

  • DAISY books are available to loan on disc from the Talking Book Service.
  • You can browse and buy from our catalogue of over 12,000 DAISY books at the RNIB Book Site.
  • You can read DAISY books immediately through your internet connection from the BookStream book club.
  • Some RNIB magazines are available in DAISY, including 'DAISY TV Listings' which provides details of programmes on the main terrestrial channels and 20 popular satellite and Freeview channels.
  • You can find out about the latest DAISY books in New Books, a regular update of new titles available for loan and sale from RNIB.

You can also call Customer Services on 0845 702 6843 or email cservices@rnib.org.uk for help with choosing books, to make a purchase or for information about RNIB products and publications.

More about the DAISY format

If you want to make accessible reading materials available to individuals who cannot use print effectively or just keep up to date with the latest developments, you can visit the DAISY Consortium website.

Content author: cservices@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 28/04/2008 15:35

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