Download Books

Downloading Books with BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)

In addition to the materials circulated by WTBBL, our patrons are able to request access to the National Library Service BARD digital collection. With BARD, patrons have instant access to hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, musical scores, and music instructional materials in audio and electronic braille (ebraille).

If you are already a library patron or part of an organization with an institutional library account and are interested in signing up for access to BARD, please submit a BARD Application.

BARD Mobile App

The BARD Mobile app is free and allows patrons to download and read braille and audiobooks directly on their smartphones and tablets.
BARD Mobile is available at BARD for Apple iOS, BARD for Android, and BARD for Amazon Kindle
For help with Apple iOS, access the BARD Mobile User Manual for iOS or BARD Mobile User Manual for iOS in ebraille [BRF] volume one and BARD Mobile User Manual for iOS in ebraille [BRF] volume two.
For help with Android, access the BARD Mobile User Manual for Android or BARD Mobile User Manual for Android v1.3 in ebraille [BRF].
For help with Amazon Kindle tablets, access the BARD Mobile User Manual for Fire Tablets.
Videos are also available at How to Use BARD Mobile for iOS or How to Use BARD Mobile for Android.

BARD on Smart Speaker

BARD is now available on Amazon Alexa smart speakers through the My Talking Books skill.
Patrons must submit the My Talking Books Registration Form in order to gain access to the My Talking Books skill. Please contact 206-615-0400 or [email protected] if you need assistance filling out the form.
For help with the smart speaker skill, access the My Talking Books User Guide and the My Talking Books Command List.
For more information, visit Welcome to My Talking Books on Smart Speaker from NLS.

BARD Quick Tips:

The BARD website is used almost exclusively to download books onto mobile storage media, such as USB drives, SD cards, or one of your own blank talking book cartridges for playback in either an NLS Digital Talking Book Player, or another commercially available device.
BARD is compatible with both Windows PC and Apple computers.
The free computer program BARD Express makes downloading and copying books to your media storage device even easier. BARD Express is only compatible with Windows computers. For more information and to download BARD Express visit the NLS webpage: Welcome to BARD Express.
Want to listen to books on your computer? The latest version of BARD Express lets you listen to your books on the same computer you downloaded it to!
You can use the BARD website to browse the BARD collection, manage your Wishlist, and modify account settings.