Exygy partnered with Benetech to modernize Bookshare—their ebook library for people with reading barriers—enhancing its accessibility, user experience, and technical infrastructure.
Benetech, a nonprofit organization committed to using technology to empower communities for social good, operates Bookshare, the world's largest digital library for individuals with reading barriers such as dyslexia, blindness, or cerebral palsy. With a mission to make reading accessible to all, Bookshare sought to modernize its platform to improve the user experience, enhance accessibility, and streamline content management.
To achieve this, Benetech partnered with Exygy, and our team was thrilled at the opportunity to use our expertise in thoughtful design and tailored technical solutions to modernize Bookshare’s visual design, optimize its technical infrastructure, and improve both the user and administrative experience. Together we completed the redevelopment of the Bookshare platform, aiming to ensure that the platform remained sustainable, scalable, and truly accessible to the communities it serves.
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Although Bookshare provided an invaluable service, its platform had become outdated and increasingly difficult to manage. The content management system (CMS) and web application were built on outdated technology, making updates and maintenance cumbersome for administrators. Additionally, administrator navigation of the platform’s information architecture within their CMS was another critical pain point for Bookshare. A vast amount of information had accumulated over the years, creating an overwhelming archive of oftentimes outdated or redundant information. As a result, administrators struggled to find relevant information and efficiently manage their content.
One of the most pressing challenges was the complexity of Bookshare’s sign-up process. The overall user experience was unintuitive and did not meet Exygy’s high accessibility standards so that individuals with disabilities could navigate the site effectively. This led to low conversion rates, increased user frustrations, and an inability to adapt to Bookshare’s and didn’t allow for alignment with modern subscription models.
Each of these issues created a massive challenge for our team at Exygy, as each had to be addressed before delivering what Bookshare needed most—a modernized, adaptable CMS and web app. Accessibility was at the forefront of every design and development decision, but that went beyond just the work we delivered. As some of Bookshare’s staff members are low-vision or blind, our team took a thoughtful approach to collaboration. Standard tools like Miro, which are not fully accessible, were replaced with more inclusive alternatives, ensuring that all stakeholders could actively participate in the redesign process. This level of thoughtful design even from a team collaboration standpoint set this project up for success from the start.
The actual project began with an in-depth product discovery process to better understand Bookshare’s pain and identify how we could best improve the overall functionality, accessibility, and usability of their CMS, website, and app. This process included user research, product framing and branding workshops followed by an extensive UX and content audit. We interviewed various stakeholders, including CMS administrators, and partnered with Lighthouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired to conduct accessibility audits to ensure that all updates met the highest standards.
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The next fundamental phase of our work with Bookshare was to begin delivery. The first step was to create a sitemap–a general outline that would direct the website design project. From there, a skeleton of the site was formed, keeping in mind the entire user experience and ensuring each step remained accessible and intuitive. From there we developed high-level mockups, style guides, component libraries, and more, regularly meeting with the Bookshare team so that they understood the how and why behind each part of the process.
From there, we redesigned the entire website, followed by overhauling the home page and book detail pages of the web application to improve alignment with the highest accessibility standards and overall usability, guided by the materials and research developed in prior stages. We allotted more time than expected to help Bookshare pare down the large amount of content in their old CMS before migrating relevant content to the new system.
The anticipated impact of these changes is significant, allowing for better conversion, scalability, and maintainability. The redesigned sign-up flow is expected to increase conversion rates and reduce the time it takes for new users to complete registration. The improved web application will likely lead to higher engagement and retention among users, while the optimized information architecture should make it easier for administrators to manage content effectively.
The modernization of Bookshare is about more than just a better website—it is about empowering individuals with reading barriers to access the knowledge and resources they need. As digital platforms continue to evolve, ensuring equitable access to information remains a critical priority. The work completed through this partnership sets a foundation for future innovation, demonstrating how thoughtful design and inclusive technology can break down barriers and create meaningful change.
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