Guest Post: National Library Service Talks Tallking Book Topics

Guest Post: National Library Service

Contributed by NLS Representative

Due to significant and worsening supply-chain issues and worldwide paper shortages, the large-print edition of Talking Book Topics (TBT) January–February 2022 will not be printed. The US Government Publishing Office (GPO) has informed NLS that these problems are expected to continue through the end of 2022, and likely beyond.

 

We strongly encourage patrons to the use the six other formats in which Talking Book Topics can be read and enjoyed:

 

·       HTML, www.loc.gov/nls/tbt, linking to BARD for downloading or adding books to wish lists

·       PDF, www.loc.gov/nls/tbt, containing a printable order form

·       Audio cartridge, which comes with a print order form

·       BARD audio magazine, downloadable to cartridge or to BARD Mobile wish list

·       Braille Book Review’s TBT Abridged section in hardcopy braille

·       Braille Book Review’s TBT Abridged section as a BRF downloadable through BARD or from www.loc.gov/nls/bbr

 

Patrons can also learn about the latest titles added to BARD through the “Recently added books and magazines” link on the BARD website or the “Recently added to BARD” feature on the “Get Books” tab on the BARD Mobile app.

 

Patrons who subscribe to Talking Book Topics (TBT) in large print will not receive the January–February 2022 issue in paper format due to ongoing supply-chain issues and worldwide paper shortages. Patrons can access TBT January–February 2022 online in HTML and PDF right now at www.loc.gov/nls/tbt. TBT in HTML contains direct links to BARD for downloading or adding books to wish lists, and TBT in PDF contains printable order forms for mailing. TBT January–February 2022 in audio will be available on cartridge and on BARD and BARD Mobile the first week in February. Additionally, TBT Abridged will be available through Braille Book Review in hardcopy braille and BRF on www.loc.gov/nls/bbr.

Patron Services: BARD Mobile Download Limites

 Patron Services: 

BARD Mobile Download Limits

Contributed by Amanda Gonzalez, Patron Services Librarian

Audio File

BARD mobile download limits

If you enjoy downloading books and magazines from BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download), you know that BARD gives you instant access to the entire NLS collection through your computer, tablet, iPad, and smartphone. 

With BARD, there’s no need to wait for books to come in the mail; all books are always available and ready for download, and you don’t even need to “return” the books after you’ve read them!

When you are downloading books from BARD, your access to the collection can seem limitless, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are caps to the number of materials you can download from BARD in a 30-day period.

If you’ve ever received the message that you are “not authorized” to read a book that you have downloaded, the likely cause is that you have reached your 30-day limit.

When using the BARD Mobile app, a patron can download a maximum of 100 books during a 30-day period. 

This is a "rolling" 30-day period. So, for example, if you downloaded 5 books 30 days ago, then tomorrow, those 5 books will "fall off" the count, dropping you from 100 to 95. This creates space to download 5 new books. 

The other side of this is, that if you download all 100 books today, you will have to wait 30 days for all 100 books to "fall off."

To avoid reaching your limit on BARD mobile, follow this rule of thumb: If you download no more than 3 books per day, you will never reach your limit.

Even if you reach your limit, you can always still listen to the books you have previously downloaded.

In addition, if you reach your BARD mobile limit, you can still download books to a flash drive and listen to them using your Digital Talking Book Player. 

If you would like to learn more about BARD, please contact the library.