5 Ways to Improve Accessibility for Book Printing in Australia

Making sure a print publication is accessible isn’t just about how many places someone can easily access it, but it’s also about making sure that the publication accounts for possible barriers as to why someone wouldn’t be able to engage with it. In Australia, there is an estimate of over 450,000 people who are blind or have low vision, and approximately 10% of Australians also experience dyslexia. This is why inclusive publishing and producing accessible books isn’t just good practice, but is essential, whether you’re publishing a magazine, booklet, annual report, or novel. These five straightforward strategies may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inclusive publishing, but they provide simple pointers to make sure your work welcomes readers of all abilities when it’s in print.

1. Build Clear Heading Hierarchies

Clear, consistent headings make a huge difference to how easily someone can navigate your publication. They give readers instant clues about where a section starts, how the content is organised, and where to find the details they care about most. Using different levels like a main title, subheadings, and smaller subsection headings, breaks big blocks of text into smaller, more digestible parts and helps prevent visual fatigue. All authors can easily apply this to their work while they’re writing it in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, which makes navigating a document much easier for copyediting as well.

Before it goes to print, you’ll want to make sure that each level is styled the same way throughout (same font, size, weight, and spacing) as it creates predictable patterns that are especially useful for readers with low vision or dyslexia, and benefits everyone. Common design programs such as Adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher have handy features that let you set up these heading styles once and apply them across the whole document as well, so your hierarchy is consistent from beginning to end. A thoughtful heading structure doesn’t just look tidy but it’s a simple way to make your content far easier to read and enjoy.

2. Use Bold and Italics with Intention

Bold and italic styles are powerful tools, that is when they’re used correctly and with purpose. It can be easy to go a little too crazy on these typographic enhancements when working on an exciting project, but it’s important to remember that if there’s too much bold or italic text, then it’s as effective as if there was no bold or italic text at all. 

Bold text, which refers to the text that’s thicker and has more weight, is used to draw the eye to critical details. This makes it perfect for key facts, calls to action, or important dates. Meanwhile italics, when the text has a slight slant and can appear a bit thinner, provides a more gentle emphasis, and is generally used to indicate publication titles in references, or highlight a word in another language. 

The key component to using these elements correctly is restraint. Overusing either can create visual clutter and actually make the page harder to read. Before applying formatting, ask yourself: Does this help the reader understand the content, or is it just decorative? If it’s not earning its keep, it’s time to let it go. Clean, purposeful formatting keeps your message clear and helps your design look polished and professional.

3. Choose Fonts Readers Will Thank You For

The typeface or font used in any book is what helps set the tone long before anyone even reads a word of it. The art of typography is a whole sector of design in and of itself, so we won’t go too into it, but the general gist of this strategy is to make sure you choose a typeface that makes your project easier to read in print. 

When it comes to text heavy print publications, you’ll often see the body printed in serif fonts (also known as typeface families) such as Times New Roman, Garamond, and Baskerville, which all sport brush-like decorative strokes on the ends of letters. Serif fonts aren’t used just to give a classic and traditional feel, similar to old school typewriter-printed books, but are industry standard because they are easier to read in print, especially when the text is smaller. Contemporary options are also on the rise for body text, such as Palatino and Libre Caslon are popular for being able to balance character and clarity if you’re looking for a more modern feel. 

“When you’re reading a 9.5 font in a printed book, serifs help you to distinguish the letterforms and create flow as you’re reading.”
- Madeline DeCotes, Designer 

Sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica are known for having simple, open shapes with no decorative strokes. You’ll notice most texts that are available online, on websites, blogs, and digital magazines are in sans-serif fonts, because these simplified typefaces are easier to read on screens. When it comes to print publications, sans-serif fonts are usually used for titles and subheadings, as they maintain legibility from a bigger font size. This is also why sans-serif fonts are also often used for print publications for children, as the text is usually larger and letters need to be simple and easy to recognise.

Size is just as important in making sure your printed text is accessible, and most books aim for at least 12-point for body copy, with 14-point offering even more comfort, especially for readers with low vision. Larger text in a printed book isn’t indulgent; it’s just practical. Nobody complains that text is too easy to read, but plenty of readers will quietly struggle with a typeface that’s too small or overly decorative.

4. Make Colour Contrast Work Harder

Once you’ve got the right formatting, font, hierarchy of text and the appropriate text sizes, one of the simplest ways to keep text legible is by ensuring strong colour contrast. If your text is black on white, then it’s unlikely to be an issue, but if other colours come into play, you’ll want to aim for high contrast combinations. This is when text colour is strikingly different enough against the background colour of the text, to maintain clarity and legibility. This doesn’t just apply to text either, but for any elements on printed pages, including the cover! 

As a guide, the WCAG contrast recommendations suggest a ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text, which translates into avoiding faint greys on white or dark text on equally dark backgrounds. If you use colour to convey meaning, such as red for highlights, then we recommend pairing it with a secondary cue like bold text, an icon, or a border so readers who see colours differently don’t miss the point. A great resource for checking your contrast is this online colour contrast checker, because good contrast isn’t just an accessibility win; it makes every page sharper and more enjoyable to read.

5. Select Paper That’s Kind on the Eyes

As a book printer, you could say we know a bit about this section but we’ll keep this short and sweet. Paper choice is not always at the forefront of accessibility design but an essential one for any book going to print, as it can dramatically affect how comfortable your publication is to read.

We also recommend paper stocks that are uncoated (matte) or coated with a satin or silk finish as they reduce glare. This makes pages friendlier for people with visual impairments or dyslexia, because while glossy papers look beautifully shiny and luxurious, their reflective surfaces bounce off so much light that it is literally harder to read (without moving the book or page at random angles anyway). 

The weight (or thickness) and opacity also matter, because you don’t want paper that’s too thin and shows through text from the reverse side (also known as ghosting), distracting from what’s on the page. It’s important to think about real-world reading conditions and choose a stock that looks great and read really well too. Picking a paper that performs well across various settings and lighting conditions keeps your content easy on the eyes. Of course, if you’re thinking of printing with us, be sure to check out our paper range and enquire with us if you need help choosing the right paper stock for your project.

Integrating Accessibility Into Every Step

“Accessibility allows us to tap into everyone’s potential.”
- Debra Ruh, Disability Advocate

Accessibility is often siloed in the publishing process, but it isn’t the responsibility of a single role or just something to tick off a checklist. It’s a shared, ongoing commitment across every stage of publishing, from concept and design through to the final printed piece. Even in the print production process, we’re very much aware of what we can do to achieve greater accessibility with choices like paper, contrast, and legibility. By keeping accessibility in mind at every step, printed publications become not only visually appealing but genuinely welcoming to all readers and this is a goal we make a priority in the work we do.

Creating Publications That Welcome Everyone

Making your print publications more accessible doesn’t require reinventing your entire writing or design process, it’s simply about making thoughtful, reader-first choices. Clear headings guide the eye, smart formatting highlights what matters, strong contrast improves legibility, and the right paper stock ensures a comfortable reading experience. These strategies aren’t just about meeting minimum standards; they’re about creating publications that invite every reader in. For more in-depth guidance, we recommend exploring the Books Without Barriers guide from the Australian Publishers Association and the Inclusive Publishing in Australia guide from the Australia Inclusive Publishing Initiative. Accessible books benefit everyone, and every small improvement makes a difference.