Accessing Digital Materials

Our alternate formats team wants to help make sure you have access to the materials you need. To request digital versions of your books, log into the DRC Online portal to make requests for alternate formats. When you do this, our team will work to get digital versions of the books you request, and then we will share them with you once you are able to provide us with your proof of purchase or rental.

Our team is currently working remotely, which means that we will not be asking you to bring physical copies of your textbooks into the office for us to cut and scan. If we are unable to get a digital copy of the book, we will get in touch with you as soon as possible and work together to find a creative way to make sure you have your materials in a format that works for you.

To learn about other ways you can access digital versions of course materials in addition to our alternate formats service, please check out our suggestions below.

Libraries

PSU Library

The Portland State University Library has digital materials available, so be sure to check their online system to see if they have your course materials. You can download PDF versions of many of the books available (Note: There is usually a daily limit of pages you can download, so it may take a few days to get your entire book downloaded). Check out the PSU Library eBook Accessibility Tutorials for more information.

County Libraries

If you are a member of a county library, remember to check their audiobook and e-text library to see if they have copies of any of your course materials. If you aren’t a member, you can usually sign up for a digital library card to check out digital materials. For example, you can sign up for a digital card with Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties.

Read PSU Library's eBook Guide

Find Your County Library

Free Online Resources

Librivox

Librivox has a collection of free audio versions of public domain books. Check out their catalog to see if any of your books are available online.

Project Gutenburg

Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. Most of the books available here are older works for which U.S. copyright has expired.

Visit Librivox

Visit Project Gutenburg

Buy or Rent Digital Books

Our team will be happy to work with you to get a PDF version of your books, but purchasing a digital version may be helpful in getting access to your materials right away. This is a great option if you don’t need a particular technology, like Kurzweil, to access your textbooks digitally.

PSU Bookstore

The PSU Bookstore offers digital versions of some textbooks. Just looks for the "Digital" option when buying your textbook. To learn more about e-Books, you can visit the PSU Bookstore's Digital Books webpage.

Kindle and Other Publisher e-Book Formats

Some places to purchase e-books include Kindle, RedShelf, and VitalSource. After you purchase the e-book, you can then access it using the publisher’s e-book format. For Kindle books, you do not need a tablet, as you can access it from a computer or mobile device.

Visit the PSU Bookstore

Learn More About Kindle

If you have questions about the information on this page, please contact the Disability Resource Center.

Email: drc@pdx.edu
Phone: 503-725-4150

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