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Hachette UK has donated more than 10,000 audiobooks to Calibre Audio, a charity which provides a completely free-for-life audiobook service for anyone who has a disability that makes reading print difficult.
Calibre’s 17,000 members have a range of disabilities that affect reading and understanding text, including a visual or cognitive impairment, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and physical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s and arthritis.
Now all of Hachette UK’s titles will be available in all formats for Calibre members, donated free of charge.
The two organisations are building on a long-standing charitable relationship, having signed their previous agreement in 2014.
This updated agreement will provide Calibre members with access to more than 10,000 Hachette UK titles across all its platforms so that members can listen to works such as Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and audiobooks by authors such as Elly Griffiths, Cressida Cowell, Ian Rankin, and Mark Billingham via streaming, download and memory stick.
Anthony Kemp, c.e.o of Calibre Audio, said: “With Calibre’s widening membership and embracement of recent technological advancements, this is the perfect time to address how we can best serve our members, and we are thrilled Hachette UK is giving them access to this incredible pool of books and authors in whichever format works for them.”
Jasmine Palmer, co-chair of the Hachette UK Accessibility Network, added: “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Calibre Audio to allow its members to access more of our audio offering. Working with the Hachette UK Accessibility Network, Calibre Audio is helping us to reach a wider audience and to make it easier for everyone to access our content.”