Listening Books is a charity for people with print impairments. Those eligible for membership include people with dyslexia, arthritis, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ME, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, autism, anorexia, asperger's syndrome, ADD, ADHD, amputations, bulimia, down's syndrome, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, head injuries, muscular dystrophy, cancer, emphysema, cerebral palsy, heart conditions, motor neurone disease, neurological conditions, paralysis, parkinson's disease, paraplegia, quadriplegia, polio, spinal injuries, frailty, mental health conditions and manual dexterity problems.
If you have a condition or illness that is not listed here, and you are unsure if you qualify for membership, please contact our membership support team at support@listening-books.org.uk.
Listening Books is a UK Charity, therefore members must also live in the UK to qualify for membership. Members can reasonably use our audiobooks whilst out of the UK (for work or on holiday), and by signing up to membership agree not to use the Listening Books service for more than a 2 month period whilst not resident in the UK.
When you join Listening Books, you confirm that you or the member is eligible for membership of Listening Books; you understand that our audiobooks must not be modified, copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed in any way, are lent to members for their own non-commercial use only and will be returned to Listening Books or, if downloaded, will be deleted from any portable device once listened to and any discs the titles have been burnt to destroyed at the end of the lending period.
If signing on behalf of a child, young person, vulnerable adult or as an organisation who supports children, you agree to accept responsibility to monitor the titles they listen to. We may ask for further proof of age and/or confirmation from a parent or guardian if you are under 18 when you apply, as part of our child protection policies. We reserve the right to refuse membership on this basis.
It is your responsibility to choose titles that you would find appropriate for your own interests, tastes, views and beliefs. Listening Books accepts no responsibility for the content of any of the titles that can be accessed through the Listening Books website and their suitability for individual members and their preferences. If you choose to submit a book review to the website, you accept that this may be edited or rejected at the discretion of Listening Books.
Members and non members alike can access the samples of our audiobooks, which are usually the first 5 minutes of the book and are chosen by our plaform provider OverDrive. Listening Books accepts no responsibility for any of the content of these samples or exposure to any content you may find unsuitable.
If you are applying for a free membership for an individual, you confirm that you/the applicant is eligible for membership of Listening Books and cannot read books in the usual way, and that you/they would find the membership fee (ranging from £20 to £45 per year) a barrier to joining the service. Funding permitting, membership will be renewed on an annual basis if you are actively using the service. Your membership will be cancelled if not used within 4 weeks of receiving your membership welcome email/letter.
Listening Books' Refund Policy
Listening Books is a charity for people with print impairments. Please note, if you do not have an illness or disability which makes reading difficult and/or you are not a resident in the UK, you are ineligible for membership. Unfortunately Listening Books incurs a fee for payments via PayPal. If you apply and are ineligible for membership, we will not be able to continue with your application. You can contact us for a refund of the unexpired period of your membership payment minus £5 to cover the fee paid to PayPal and a contribution to our administration charges. Please contact us if you are in any way unsure.
If you decide that Listening Books isn't for you, as long as you contact us within 2 weeks of joining you will be entitled to a full refund of the membership fee. Those who wish to cancel their membership after 2 weeks from the joining date but within four months of the membership period will receive a refund minus the expired period of their membership. Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds after 4 months.
If you are applying as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme for the Audiobook Reviewing and Presenting Skill, and are not eligible for membership, the same T&Cs as above will apply. If you decide the skill is not for you within two weeks of joining, you will be entitled to a full refund. Any time after this, or if you did not complete the skill, no refunds will be given.