BARD Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put more than one book onto a blank cartridge or flash drive?

YES, you can put as many books onto a blank cartridge or flash drive as will fit. We recommend putting each book into a separate folder on your cartridge or flash drive in order to keep them organized and avoid potential errors.

How do I access multiple books on my blank cartridge or flash drive?

Press and hold the green Play/Stop button on your digital player until you hear the player beep and say “bookshelf.” Then, using the fast forward or rewind buttons to toggle through the books, find the book you want to play and press the Play/Stop button again.

Is there a limit to the number of books I can download?

BARD allows only three (3) simultaneous downloads at a time. This is rarely an issue anymore since BARD is now in the cloud and downloads are much faster than before. There are download limits during any 30-day period. They are currently 100 if you’re using BARD Mobile and 500 for web, BARD Express, and NLS eReader downloads. Those totals will be changing in the next calendar year.

Can I load books onto an SD card?

Yes, as long as you have a USB SD card reader you can plug into the digital player. Just be sure not to extract the book files into a pre-formatted folder (i.e. $VSDTB on the Victor Stream).

I’ve lost or forgotten my password

  1. Open the BARD login page and click the Reset your BARD password here link.
  2. On the Reset your lost password page, type the email address associated with your BARD account in the Email Address field. Then click the Submit button.
  3. BARD will send an email with a link that will redirect back to the BARD website to create a new password. The link will expire in one hour.

Note that there is now a button called Show/Hide password which appears as an eye shape, following the confirmation field on the Create a new password page. By default, everything written in the password fields is hidden. If, however, you would like to be able to see what you are typing in the password fields, the Show/Hide button can be toggled in order to show what is being typed.

If you have any questions, please contact OPAC_librarian@dbs.fldoe.org or call 1-800-226-6075.

Can I change my user ID (email address)?

YES, first log in to BARD using your current user ID, then click on the "Update account settings" link towards the bottom of the page. Select the "change your email address" link. Once you submit your new email address, a temporary password will be emailed to the new address, so be sure you can access the new email account before you request the change. If you have problems, please contact Talking Books at 1-800-226-6075 or OPAC_librarian@dbs.fldoe.org

Can I play BARD books on my computer or MP3 player?

NO, the books you download from BARD are encrypted in accordance with copyright law and can ONLY be played on a digital player from our library or a registered purchased player.

Can I play other audio files on my digital player?

YES, you can play MP3, WMA, and WAV books and even music files on your digital player.

  • If you only put audio files on your flash drive or blank cartridge, you can organize them however you like. The digital player will not recognize the names of your files, but instead will report them by file number (i.e. Folder 1, File 1). You cannot access your individual files through the bookshelf feature.
  • If you also have a BARD book on your flash drive or blank cartridge, you must put any other audio file you want to listen to in a folder called "audio+podcasts" (all one word, all lower case, no spaces). Within this special folder you can organize your files however you like. Furthermore, when a BARD book in on your flash drive or blank cartridge you will be able to access your other audio files using the bookshelf feature, but only to select the option of listening to whatever is in the "audio+podcasts" folder, not to select individual files.
  • When using a standard digital player, you can jump from file to file by pressing and holding the Fast Forward or Rewind buttons.
  • When using an advanced digital player, use the Next and Previous buttons to toggle through files or folders, and you can use the Menu button to switch between jumping from file to file or folder to folder.

Can someone else download books for me?

YES, friends and family are welcome to download books for you. All they need is your user ID, password, and a flash drive or blank cartridge. Your account information is not IP address specific. Just be careful when sharing your login information. Make sure you only give your user ID and password to someone you trust.

I'm a Mac user, and my computer is telling me I have no room left on my flash drive or blank cartridge even though there are no books on it. What can I do?

When you remove a file from a flash drive or blank cartridge using a Mac, unless you also remove the file from your computer’s trash bin you will not be allowed to use the space on the flash drive or blank cartridge the book had been taking up. Once you empty your Mac's trash bin, the space on your flash drive or blank cartridge should once again be available for use. This issue affects all files transferred on and off a flash memory device using a Mac, not just in regard to BARD books.

Is there any subscription fee for using BARD?

NO, BARD is free for all users of the Talking Books library. All you have to provide for yourself is either a flash drive or blank cartridge.

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DISCLAIMER: Links on the Florida Division of Blind Services (DBS) website that are directed toward websites outside the DBS, provide additional information that may be useful or interesting and are being provided consistent with the intended purpose of the DBS website. DBS cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by non-DBS websites. Further, providing links to a non-DBS website does not constitute an endorsement by DBS, the Florida Department of Education or any of its employees, of the sponsors of the non-DBS website or of the information or products presented on the non-DBS website.