Large Print Materials- Design
Large print books are an example of a product which makes reading and learning easier and more comfortable for people with and without low vision. Typically, large print books use font sizes between 16-18 pts, as opposed to the 10-12 pt fonts found in standard print books (Kitsap Regional Library). The main difference between large print and standard print books is the font size, although in practice this choice also means that the content of large print books is spread out across a greater number of pages.
Large Print Books- Benefits for Accessibility
In 1966 the New York Public Library received a grant to expand its large print collections and study their use and popularity among readers (Hebert & Huwieler, 2022, p. 4). The study found that large print books were popular with people with low vision, as well as readers who did not have vision related-disabilities. Large print books enabled reading from farther distances, or in dim settings, which enabled readers to comfortably rest books on their lap or table, as opposed to holding the book up close to their face, which can be physically taxing and uncomfortable, particularly for readers who have mobility-related disabilities in addition to low-vision. In contemporary libraries, large print materials continue to be popular among communities of dedicated users, despite the rise in availability of electronic reading materials (Hebert & Huwieler, 2022, p. 3)
In terms of utility, and desirability, large print books facilitate reading, thus facilitating their intended use, and are consistently popular, while reducing the need for additional tools such as a magnifying glass. In library settings, these materials thus allow readers to seamlessly access library collections at no personal cost. In terms of viability and affordability, however, large print books must be separately purchased and curated as a subset of collections, because they are not the default provided by book publishers and vendors. When books are printed in large print, the text of the book is spread out across a higher number of pages, which raises material costs and cuts into profits, the cost of which is passed on to consumers. Costs are also higher, because large print books are produced in smaller numbers than standard print materials, which increases the cost per unit, per the principle of diminishing marginal returns. As a result, large print books are typically slightly more expensive than standard print alternatives (see the cost comparison in price for two titles available from Barnes and Noble).
Social v. Functional Solutions Model of Disability
Notably, the 10-12 pt size of standard font for adult materials, is an intentional choice by the publishing industry which has become normalized over time. In other words, the small print of standard materials is a constructed barrier to reading for people with low vision. In a functional solutions model of disability, separate resources and tools, such as large print books are presented as necessary solutions to facilitating reading. In some ways, making large print books widely and freely available in libraries, does reduce the need for additional, expensive reading tools. However, when examining this issue through a social model of disability, it becomes clear that the publishing industry could make printed materials available in larger fonts as the default, and thus address a socially created barrier to accessibility without separate, more expensive, collections.