Calibre Audio

How we help

If you struggle to read print, we’re here to help. Through our audiobook lending service, you’ll have access to thousands of books as well as the enormous benefits that listening to them will bring. In addition to titles appealing to all interests, listening to audiobooks helps expand your mind, provides great topics of conversation and helps with health and relaxation.

Joining Calibre Audio

We’re here for you if you live with any of the following:

  • Visual impairment

  • Dyslexia

  • Autism

  • ADD/ADHD

  • Long COVID

  • Other physical and neurological conditions

Your membership

As a Calibre Audio member you'll have:

  • Access to over 16,000 books in 70 categories, including over 3,000 children’s titles  

  • New titles added every week 

  • Titles span the classics to the latest bestsellers and books recorded by our volunteer narrators that are not available elsewhere in audio  

  • A choice of ways to listen: streaming, download or USB memory stick 

  • Regular newsletters, reading suggestions, podcasts and other audio content 

  • Dedicated membership services team to help you get the most out of your membership 

Does it cost?

As a charity, we’re committed to making our service accessible to as many people with a print disability as possible and our service is either free or highly subsidised for those who are eligible. 

Membership is free for: 

  • Those under the age of 18 or still in full time education  

  • Those using our USB memory stick only service 

A highly subsidised membership costing £3 per month or £30 per year is available for: 

  • People aged 18+ in the UK using our digital services (download or streaming) 

  • People of all ages in eligible countries overseas using our digital services (See our overseas members page) 

Younger members

Teens looking at a laptop together and laughing

Our service is completely free for younger members under the age of 18 living in the UK. There is a small charge payable for younger members who live overseas - please see our overseas members page for more information.

Our aim is to encourage as many eligible young people as possible to join and use audiobooks to support their education and relaxation.

Our collection is full of leading contemporary children’s authors, including Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson, J.K Rowling, Malorie Blackman, David Walliams, Phillip Pullman – as well as classics. We also keep up to date with titles that support the GCSE, A Level and PSHE national curriculum.

Under 18s can also borrow audiobooks from the main collection, other than those with an X-rated restriction (with scenes/language inappropriate for young members).

Schools

Schools and colleges can open an account with us to allow teachers to see how our service can be used to support students with print disabilities.

How the service works

On joining, members choose how they would like to listen to our audiobooks: streaming, download and memory stick or a combination of all three. Please note - a small charge is payable by adults for access to our digital services - either streaming or download or both.

Listening via Streaming

Audiobooks can be streamed directly from our website, so you can listen to what you want, when you want. Browse our online library and add your chosen audiobooks to your streaming booklist.

Listening via Downloads

Audiobooks can be downloaded via apps directly to your device.

The Dolphin EasyReader app, is a free app available for both iOS and Android. Once you've downloaded the app, you'll need to login with your Calibre Audio membership number and password. Books can then be downloaded and listened to offline - what you want, when you want.

Libby, by Overdrive, is a another free app available for both iOS and Android. Once downloaded, you can login with your Calibre Audio membership number and pin number and start browsing the more than 9,000 titles available here. New titles are added every month so please keep checking back. Please contact membership services if you need a reminder of your pin number.

Listening on Memory Stick

If you wish to have your audiobooks posted direct to your home, there are two ways to choose your books:

  • Tell us what categories of books you like (such as detective novels, biography or key stage) and leave the rest to us. We will keep you supplied with titles to enjoy. We won’t send the same book twice (unless you request it!)

or...

  • Compile a personal book list of book titles (online or by phone) and we will send them to you in order, when available.

For more information on how to listen visit our helpdesk or see our Quick Start Guides on the How to Listen page.

Choosing your audiobooks

To select your audiobooks, search our online library by author, title, narrator, category or key stage. All our audiobooks are given a catalogue number so you can also search by this if known. You can then add your chosen audiobooks to your personal booklist.

PDFs of the books available in each category are available for you to download or print. Click here to go to the PDF page.

Keeping you up to date

Newsletter: Members and non-members can sign up to receive regular news about Calibre, author interviews, new audiobook updates, etc. Available by email and on our website. Click here to sign up to receive the newsletter by email.

‍For Your Ears Only: bulletin detailing new additions to our library, sent to members by request free of charge. Available as a pdf, on memory stick or as a podcast on our website.

‍Podcasts: we also produce regular podcasts which can be found wherever you normally get your podcasts, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Just search for Calibre Audio podcasts.