BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)

What is BARD?

BARD stands for Braille and Audio Reading Download. BARD allows patrons of the Mississippi Talking Book Services to independently download Braille and audio books onto their smartphones or tablets through an app for Android and iOS devices. Downloading from BARD is a convenient way to quickly find the materials you are searching for. BARD currently has over 116,000 titles available for download and more are added every week!

The BARD interface looks just like the digital player, so it’s easy to transition from one to the other.

Requirements for BARD

Downloading books from BARD has a few requirements:

• You must be an active member of Mississippi Talking Book Services
• Your account must be in good standing, meaning it is active and has no overdue materials.
• A computer and internet access is required to access the BARD website and online application.
• A basic understanding of the Internet and computers is recommended.

If you have questions about any of these requirements or procedures please contact Talking Book Services at 1-800-446-0892 or 601-432-4116 and we will help answer any questions.

Application

To gain BARD access, fill out an application at the following address: https://nlsbard.loc.gov/.  After being received and reviewed, if your account is in good standing, your application will be approved and you will receive an email with your username and password.

Instructions

For a detailed BARD Instruction Manual please click here: BARD Instruction Manual

For a video walk-through for BARD on computers click here: BARD Tutorial for Windows

For a video walk-through for BARD on iOS devices click here: BARD Tutorial for iOS