Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) offers more than 150,000 accessible titles for a variety of devices and is a service of the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). BARD users must be current, active Kansas Talking Books patrons, have a valid email address and internet connection. Below are details on the many ways and devices you can use BARD to download titles to play on digital talking book machines (DTBM) or on mobile devices.
Fill out the application completely. If approved you will receive an email message with sign-on information. If there is an issue you will receive a message explaining the problem.
Kansas Talking Book patrons should select KS - The State Library of Kansas, Talking Book Services (in Emporia KS) to begin the application process.
NLS hosts a BARD event monthly on the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. (Central Standard Time). These events are held virtually and open to all. The events are recorded and previous event recordings are great learning sessions for BARD users.
BARD is accessible on Windows and Apple computers and laptops. Users download books and magazines from the website to a flash drive, then insert flash drive in the DTBM.
BARD Express is a Windows desktop application to facilitate searches, reading material downloads and transfers to a flash drive.
Apple devices, such as iPhones and iPads, have features, like Voice Over, which make BARD Mobile for iOS fully accessible.
Android phones and tablets, such as Google Pixel and phones made by Samsung or LG, are compatible with BARD Mobile to listen to Talking Books.
Kindle Fire is a tablet by Amazon with a specific BARD Mobile app.
BARD content can be read with refreshable braille displays, sometimes referred to as braille eReaders. These are devices with small pins that electronically move up and down through holes representing a braille cell. They refresh for each line of braille as users move their fingers across the cells as if reading braille on paper.
Reader Stream is a commercial or third-party handheld, pocket size digital media player with wireless connection able to access BARD directly or access material downloaded to SD card that is then inserted into the device.
BlindShell is an easy-to-use smartphone with tactile keypad, voice control and more features, that can access BARD via mobile app.
BARD can be used on Chromebooks, laptops using a specific Google operating system.
Kansas Talking Books provides free library services to Kansans of ALL ages:
Who are blind.
Who have limited vision.
Who have difficulty holding a book due to stroke, accident, neuromuscular disorder, or many other causes.
Who have been diagnosed with dyslexia or another perceptual or reading disability.
Who are either permanently or temporarily unable to read printed works to substantially the same degree as a person without a print disability.
