You may already know that if you are blind, visually impaired, unable to read standard print or if you have certain reading disabilities, you can get free talking books, also known as audio books, through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). (You can read more about this program in my previous article: Get Audio Books Delivered Right to Your Home).

But even better than this, through the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download Project (BARD), you can download some of these same high-quality recorded talking books and magazines to your computer and then listen to them on a digital player. The NLS uses experienced human narrators in their recordings and as a result, produces very high-quality talking books. The audio books are generally a much higher quality than any books you could find in your local bookstore, and NLS regularly adds new talking books and magazines.

Who Qualifies For Free Downloadable Audio Books?
These downloadable books are offered free to anyone who qualifies for the talking books program. (You will need to sign up for the program if you are not already a patron.) Then all you need to get started is to purchase one of the digital players that will work with the BARD program. There are currently three players you can use:
1. APH Braille plus Mobile Manager
2. Humanware Victor Reader Stream
3. LevelStar Icon

Of these, the Victor Reader Stream is the least expensive and most popular—around $329. If you need financial assistance to purchase one of the digital players, check to see if you qualify for the assistive technology fund (ATF) through the Association of Blind Citizens. The fund will cover 50 percent of the purchase price if you qualify.  

What Happens After I’ve Purchased the Player?
After you’ve bought the player of your choice, register for BARD online. Once you’ve signed up for the BARD program, NLS will contact you via email to provide the necessary instructions and log-in information to begin downloading the talking books online. Your local talking books library can assist you with questions or problems downloading the books.

There are also several email discussion groups sponsored by NLS, such as BARD-DISCUSS and BARD-SUPPORT, that you can join once you have signed up for the BARD project. (Information about how to join these groups is provided to BARD patrons after they have signed up.) So, if you’ve never used NLS talking books, this is the time to get started! Free digital talking books await!

Photo courtesy of humanware.com