Read Aloud Canadian Books FAQs
Important changes to the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program as of July 1, 2021.
Access Copyright is pleased to now provide access to the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program as a licence add-on for K-12 independent school digital licensees as well as public library or EarlyON licensees.
To learn more, including how your school, library or EarlyON Child and Family Centre can sign up for the Read Aloud add-on, please contact us at info@accesscopyright.ca.
What does the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program permit educators and librarians to do?
Educators or librarians at digitally licensed K-12 independent schools, licensed public libraries or EarlyON Child and Family Centres that have signed the Read Aloud add-on are allowed to read all or part of select in-print books from participating publishers and authors, and to post the video recording online or livestream the reading in remote reading aloud “story-time” and similar type experiences. The recorded readings and livestreams should only be made available through a password-protected secure network or otherwise within a closed group.
Does my school, library or EarlyON Child and Family Cetnre have an Access Copyright licence?
If you work at a K-12 independent school, public library or EarlyON Child and Family Centre and are unsure if they are licensed through Access Copyright, please contact us directly at permissions@accesscopyright.ca.
The Read Aloud Canadian Books Program is available to K-12 independent schools that have a digital licence with Access Copyright as well as well as public library or EarlyON licensees.
Is the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program available to public elementary and secondary schools?
The program is only available to K-12 independent schools that have a digital licence at this time. Elementary and secondary public schools in all Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec, where schools are licensed through Copibec) are currently not eligible since they do not have a digital licence.
Can this Program extend to other readers besides teachers and librarians?
Yes, under the Read Aloud add-on, a community volunteer designated by a participating library, school or EarlyON Child and Family Centre can record or livestream a reading of a work available under the Read Aloud Program.
Where can I find the list of books included in the Program?
Please our Title Search & Permissions Tool and select "Search Read Aloud" to search the in-print titles that are available for use.
How can I share a video recording of a reading?
Under the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program, a video recording of a reading of a title available for use under the Program by educators and librarians at K-12 independent schools with a digital licence, and licensed public libraries or EarlyON Child and Family Centres, can be made available in any of the following ways:
- Post your reading through your school’s password‐protected platform or within a closed group or password‐protected platform. In the case of a read aloud in classrooms, in order to replicate the read-aloud book experience that would otherwise be available to teachers and students in the classroom, access to the reading should be limited to one class;
- If this is not possible, uploading to YouTube is permitted if videos are marked “Unlisted”.
Can I livestream a reading?
Yes, educators and librarians at K-12 independent schools with a digital licence, and licensed public libraries and EarlyON Child and Family Centres that have signed the Read Aloud add-on can livestream a reading of a title available under the Program.
What am I required to do when posting or livestreaming a reading?
At the beginning of your reading, please mention the author, illustrator and publisher of the work you are about to read from. Please also state that you are presenting your reading “with permission from Access Copyright on behalf of the Publisher”. A recording of a reading must be deleted and/or access to them disabled within thirty (30) days after the end of the term of your school’s digital licence or your library or EarlyON Child and Family Centre's licence.
Additionally, K-12 independent schools, public libraries and EarlyON Child and Family Centres that have signed the Read Aloud add-on are required to report quarterly the bibliographic details of the works used under the Read Aloud Program. A logging spreadsheet will be provided directly by Access Copyright to your school, library or EarlyON Child and Family Centre's licence administrator.