Otobank Launches the “Ear Library Project” to Deliver Audiobook Reading Experiences to Visually Impaired People and Children with Limited Learning Opportunities

Otobank Inc., operator of audiobook.jp, one of Japan’s largest audiobook distribution services, announced the launch of the “Ear Library Project,” a collaborative initiative that delivers audiobook-based reading experiences to children whose learning opportunities are limited by visual impairments or economic circumstances. The project aims to expand “freedom to read” beyond physical and financial constraints by working with companies’ CSR and sustainability activities. The Ear Library Project is a CSR collaboration designed to reduce educational inequality and barriers to information access through audiobooks. Using financial support from participating companies, Otobank will provide audiobook usage rights at a special project-only price, maximizing the impact of the support. Through disability organizations, NPOs, and other support groups, audiobooks will be provided to children with limited learning opportunities due to economic reasons, as well as people who have difficulty reading printed books because of visual impairments and other conditions. After a company decides to participate, Otobank will propose matching it with the most suitable support organization. Beneficiaries will receive a one-year “Ear Library” usage right that allows them to freely enjoy audiobooks for daily learning and entertainment. Current partner support organizations include Mirairo Inc. and NPO EDGE. Mirairo provides infrastructure and solutions that turn barriers in society into value from the perspective of people with disabilities. NPO EDGE, established in 2001, works to promote accurate understanding and support for dyslexia, aiming to create a society where all people with dyslexia can live actively and fully. The project was launched against the backdrop of worsening information and education gaps in Japan. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s 2022 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions, Japan’s child poverty rate for those aged 17 and under reached 11.5%, meaning roughly one in nine children is said to be living in poverty. Differences in household income are also reflected in out-of-school education expenses, with supplementary learning expenses differing by about four times between households earning less than 4 million yen and those earning 12 million yen or more, showing that economic power is directly tied to the amount of learning. In addition, according to the ministry’s 2022 survey on difficulties in daily life, people with disabilities account for about 9.3% of Japan’s population. Among them, visually impaired people face a serious information gap in a society centered on printed books. Although Japan enacted the Act to Eliminate Reading Barriers in 2019, there remains an urgent need to build an environment where everyone can equally enjoy written and printed culture. Through the Ear Library Project, Otobank aims to break the fixed idea that reading means following text with one’s eyes and to improve well-being from multiple angles. For people who find it difficult to turn pages due to declining eyesight or physical strain, audiobooks allow immersion in reading through the ears. For those who feel a sense of loss because they “cannot read books,” audiobooks can turn that loss into the joy of being able to read, satisfying intellectual curiosity and helping improve self-esteem. Socially, shared topics from books can encourage communication, while learning can expand opportunities for employment and education and strengthen connections with society. Going forward, Otobank will continue expanding audiobook-based initiatives to promote barrier-free reading and reduce educational inequality. The company aims to deliver the joy of books to people whose reading opportunities are limited by visual impairments, differences in learning environments, busy lifestyles, and other factors, working toward a society where no one has to give up reading. An audiobook is a “book to listen to,” narrated by professional narrators or voice actors. Because people can enjoy reading using only their ears, audiobooks are suitable not only for those who have difficulty reading text, but also for listening while running, commuting by train or car, doing housework, and many other everyday situations. In recent years, audiobook users have increased rapidly as smartphones and wireless earphones have made audio content easier to access, and subscription plans have made many titles available for unlimited listening. Audiobooks are now spreading as a third form of books after print and e-books. audiobook.jp is one of Japan’s largest audiobook distribution services, operated by Otobank. It was renewed from FeBe, which began distribution in 2007, and launched as audiobook.jp in March 2018. The platform aims to expand audiobook adoption and surpassed 3 million members in February 2024. Founded in 2004, Otobank is an audio platform company whose mission is to “create a culture of immersive listening.” It operates audiobook.jp and produces and distributes tens of thousands of audiobooks. The company’s founding idea came from founder Ueda’s experience with his grandfather, who had glaucoma, and the desire to create a world where people can enjoy reading through their ears. Today, Otobank also offers podcast planning and production to enhance corporate brand value, as well as corporate audio services that support human resource development. Through promoting barrier-free reading and proposing the new lifestyle of “ear activity,” the company aims to realize a richer society created by audio.