Titlepage images accessibility?

[graycyn]

On a lot of the books I am digitizing, I use an image for the titlepage in an svg wrapper. I was wondering if I should also include an extra page with a text title/author?

In other words, if someone was using text-to-speech, would the titlepage get spoken? Is it possible to add alt="Title by Author" to the svg wrapper code?

I kind of hate putting an extra page in unless absolutely necessary. Are there apps or reader devices that don't recognize images in svg wrappers?

[Jellby]

I add a cover image (with title and author), and a title page (with title, author, subtitle, series, date, author picture, info about illustrations...)

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I add a cover image (with title and author), and a title page (with title, author, subtitle, series, date, author picture, info about illustrations...)

I think what I'll have to consider doing is just add another page with the titlepage info in text form, even though it seems awkward and adds a page turn. I really like having a titlepage image, because it gives more of the feel of the rare books I am scanning.

I tested with text-to-speech on a Kindle, it ignores the svg wrapper images on both cover and titlepage. Likewise for text-to-speech in Mantano Reader app.

Something else I learned while testing, if anyone likes to do the pseudo smallcaps thing (since ADE doesn't seem to do font-variant) at the very beginning of a chapter, Kindle text-to-speech has some issues with those!

EDIT: The Kindle sometimes reads the pseudo smallcaps well, sometimes not. I played a few more chapters and it did better as it went. The Mantano Reader app for Android did read the pseudo smallcaps text, though sometimes it would spell out some words, usually abbreviations.

Anyway, I guess the titlepage thing will have to be a compromise on my part. I hate adding extra front pages, but it is what it is.

[Ripplinger]

I also add the separate titlepage that shows title and author. When I scan an old book, if it's in the paper version, it gets put in the ebook version, and that's a page that's always in the paper book.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

I also add the separate titlepage that shows title and author. When I scan an old book, if it's in the paper version, it gets put in the ebook version, and that's a page that's always in the paper book.

Yeah, many paper books have that little extra title page, so I suppose there is precedent. I don't necessarily try to create an exact duplicate of a paper book, I often add things like an author and/or illustrator page and a bibliography if not included in the original, because *I* like that stuff. I'll toss in author photos scanned off the dust jacket too when I can.

I was happy to leave that extra title page out before I thought of the text-to-speech thing. Still, it's always possible that one day my eyes would be bad enough to need that feature.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by graycyn

EDIT: The Kindle sometimes reads the pseudo smallcaps well, sometimes not.

The Kindle has problems with many things, it seems. I just had it read Kipling's "Just So Stories", and it said "Humphrey" instead of "Humph!"

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by Jellby

The Kindle has problems with many things, it seems. I just had it read Kipling's "Just So Stories", and it said "Humphrey" instead of "Humph!"

Too funny!

Yeah, I am glad my eyes are currently good enough not to have to resort to text-to-speech.

Just learned that for a straight text title page, it is perhaps best not to use header tags and use paragraph tags instead. Header tags do interesting things in reader apps like Moon+, Coolreader and FBReader and can look pretty ugly.

Oh well, making epubs is my Sudoku. Keeps my brain active and learning and when done, I have lovely books I can read easier than printed ones! There are worse hobbies to have.