Summary

Learn strategies for maintaining accessibility and readability in EPUB3 conversions. This blog provides tips for ensuring that EPUB3 documents are accessible and user-friendly.

EPUB3 is the latest version of the EPUB format. It is an easily accessible format for digital books and is used worldwide by reading enthusiasts. The format can handle a lot of rich media integration, such as audio, video, and interactive content.

This makes it a versatile choice for a variety of publications. As eBooks keep getting more and more popular, accounting for 34% of book sales in 2023, EPUB3 conversion services are becoming increasingly popular.

But the heavy set of features makes converting to EPUB3 a tough task. Let’s take a look at how you can maintain accessibility and readability in the EPUB3 conversion service in the most effective way possible.

Table of Contents:

A Comprehensive Guide to EPUB3 Conversion Services

As EPUB3 attempts to become the norm in e-publishing, maintaining accessibility and readability across platforms and devices is becoming a challenge.

  • EPUB3 supports global language support, an important functionality in a connected world.
  • It also supports fixed-layout content, which makes it the perfect format for graphic-heavy publications like comics and magazines.
  • It can embed fonts, which render consistently across devices and reading apps.

All in all, it is the ideal candidate for the publishing industry, which is striving to be more and more inclusive.

So what are the steps one can take to ensure consistency in EPUB3 conversion services? Let’s find out.

1. Adherence to Standards

EPUB3 conversion services should adhere to the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) standards.

IDPF is the forum that has developed and is charged with maintaining EPUB content publication standards. Sticking to the rules set by them allows for interoperability across devices and platforms.

2. Source Formats

Formats such as MS Word, PDF, Quark, InDesign, RTF, 3B2, XML, HTML, and a few others are heavily relied on across reading communities all over the world.

All EPUB3 conversion services need to adhere to these formats.

Also Read: Unleashing the Power of XML Conversion in Data Management

3. Reflowable Content

EPUB3 conversion services should ensure that the content is reflowable. Reflowable content means that text, images, and other media will fit across different-sized screens and devices.

This offers a seamless reading experience across a spectrum of devices.

4. Flexible Text Formatting

EPUB3 conversion services need to have a dynamic text formatting option.

  • This will allow a reader to change fonts, font size, line spacing, etc. based on personal needs and preferences.
  • Changing font sizes and being able to change color and contrast is essential assistive technology for those with visual disabilities.

5. Responsive Images

Responsive images can adjust their dimensions without losing clarity. This is exactly what EPUB3 needs as a format that is used across various devices and screen sizes.

6. Hyperlinks and Navigation

Preserving and enhancing hyperlinks and other navigational elements is key to maintaining proper navigation.

  • This includes elements like tables of contents, chapter connections, cross-references, and internal and external hyperlinks, among others.
  • Navigation also means allowing users to forward or rewind multimedia elements and perform other actions on them.

7. Accessibility Features

15% of the world’s population has some sort of disability. To ensure accessibility for all, EPUB3 needs to have features in addition to responsive texts for visual disabilities.

  • This includes allowing text-to-speech capabilities for the hearing impaired or alt text to describe visual multimedia elements such as images to those who cannot properly see them.
  • Maintaining separate style sheets that sync interactive features like audio and video is essential to supporting those with cognitive disabilities. 

8. Logical Reading

EPUB3 conversion services should ensure logical reading by maintaining the flow and structure of the original document. What that essentially means is:

  1. The conversion preserves the structure of the original documents, such as chapters, sections, and subsections.
  2. The sequence of elements is always preserved.
  3. The formatting for headings, subheadings, paragraphs, bullet points, image borders, etc. is consistent throughout the EPUB3 file.
  4. A table of contents, bookmarks, and hyperlinks are maintained for easy navigation.
  5. Finally, all interactive multimedia elements in the document are preserved to provide the same experience in EPUB3 format.

9. Quality Control

Strict quality control is the norm for every finished product in today’s day and age. For accessible and readable EPUB3 conversion services, accuracy, consistency, and security can only be ensured through a thorough quality check.

Validation tools such as ePubCheck 3.0, which is also the official conformance checker for EPUB publications should be used before publishing any manuscript.

10. Web Accessibility in EPUB3 Conversion

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the body that publishes standards in digital publishing. EPUB3 was also published by then.

They have laid out some standards to ensure web accessibility for EPUB3 through a few specific guidelines:

  1. Semantic HTML should be used whenever possible to assist text-to-speech. Using “EPUB: type,” one can add semantic information.
  2. UTF-8 should be used for the interoperability of characters and MathML to represent complex equations for screen readers.
  3. Appropriate metadata must always be added.
  4. All text must be organized in a logical reading order. 
  5. Relying only on visual cues is not acceptable, as it is not disability-friendly.
  6. Alt-text descriptions must be used for images. 
  7. An EPUB Accessibility Audit must be conducted to ensure that your EPUB files meet accessibility standards and requirements like Section 508, WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, WCAG 2.2, or ADA3.

Check out EXCLUSIVE: HurixDigital Converts XML Files to HTML and Publishes 250,000 Backlist Titles

EPUB3 Conversion Services to Navigate an Accessible Future

Ensuring accessibility and readability in EPUB3 conversion services is paramount for enhancing user experience and reaching a wider audience. EPUB3 conversion services are the future of the publishing industry. But to venture into this arena, you will need the right digital partner. 

Using the latest technology to produce error-free output, Hurix Digital guarantees a quick turnaround time and significant cost savings. They not only provide efficient conversion, but they also offer upload and easy distribution.

Additionally, Hurix Digital also offers conversion services where eBooks published in legacy formats can be converted to XML, NIMAS, and proprietary DTD.

If you are a publisher new to the digital industry, or an old player looking for new tools, Hurix Digital is the ideal partner for your EPUB3 conversion services. Contact us today!