NLS News and NFB-NEWSLINE®

NLS News

The latest news from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.

 

That All May eRead, February 2026

The topic for the February 24, 2026, That All May eRead online program will be Using Your eReader with Your Android phone. In the remaining time, we will answer any questions you have about the NLS Braille eReader.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. eastern time and will last for one hour. The meeting will be recorded. To access the meeting, go to https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1603971745?pwd=AAyByFXmbZ94WHMCroPt1Iw28Se5mU.1

Remember that the meeting is recorded. Do not speak if you do not wish to be on the recording. If you wish to speak, you may request to do so by raising your hand. On a PC, press Alt Y to toggle raising and lowering your hand; on a Mac, press Option Y; and if dialing in via telephone, press Star 9. To mute or unmute yourself on a PC, press Alt A; on a Mac, press Command-Shift A; and on a telephone, press Star 6. If you choose to dial in to the call, use the telephone numbers provided below. The Zoom.gov ID will not work with standard Zoom.us.

You can find recordings and transcripts of previous That All May eRead programs on the NLS website at www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/that-all-may-eread.

The complete Zoom information is located below.

 

Erica C. Vaughns NLS Aspiring Leaders Internship Program

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), supported by the National Library for the Blind Endowment, has launched a paid internship that offers individuals who are legally blind the opportunity to gain work experience and explore career options working in the areas of collections building, program delivery and business oversight and management. Application details can be found at www.loc.gov/nls/about/internship-program. The deadline for the summer 2026 session is March 1. All interns will have an opportunity for in-person or virtual employment.

BARD Mobile for iOS/iPad iOS Version 2.2.5 Release

NLS has released version 2.2.5 of the BARD Mobile App for iOS.

The new version is available in the App Store and is being released to users in phases.

Please update if you don’t have automatic app updates enabled.

What’s new in Version 2.2.5 of BARD Mobile:

BARD login integration

• Updated to the latest BARD login system
• A smoother, more accessible login experience
• Improved password reset, End User License Agreement review and Terms of Use acceptance

BARD 2.0 integration

• Updated to work seamlessly with the newest BARD system
• Better overall reliability and performance

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 support

• Fully compatible with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18
• Also supports the two previous iOS versions

Updated User Guides

• English and Spanish guides now reflect current functionality

Bug fixes and improvements

• Bluetooth headsets (including Shokz) now pause/play reliably
• Playback resumes correctly with a single Bluetooth button tap
• Get Books search results no longer show duplicates
• Music, Magazine and Series searches now match the BARD 2.0 website
• VoiceOver improvements, including smoother scrolling in long lists
• Wish list items remain accessible after deleting a book

Technical Enhancements

• Improved monitoring, analytics and data tracking

Known issues

We are still addressing some problems when searching or sorting long lists (e.g., Most Popular, Recently Added).

 

BARD Mobile for Android Version 2.1.1 release

NLS has released v. 2.1.1 of the BARD Mobile App for Android.

The new version is available in the Google Play Store.

The updates include:

 Integration with BARD login

The BARD Mobile for Android app has been updated to integrate with the latest version of the BARD login system, offering a user-friendly interface for logging on, resetting a password and reviewing and accepting the End User License Agreement and Government Terms of Use.

Integration with BARD 2.0

The app has been updated to integrate with the latest version of the BARD system, significantly enhancing overall performance and the user experience.

Android 15 support

The app has been upgraded to be fully compatible with Android 15. Prior Android versions 12 through 14 are also supported.

New features and enhancements

• Playback speed can be adjusted by smaller increments and the speed adjustment labeling is more intuitive.
• Improved the downloading experience by removing the step causing confusion for TalkBack users. Now, if there is only one default folder, such as Audio Books, the users do not need to select a folder.
• Made it easier to move, create and name folders.

• Improved the Clear Search feature.
• Improved monitoring. The app now has enhanced reporting features and standardized logging through a uniform sampling rate.

Bug fixes

• Fixed the accessibility issue causing incorrect TalkBack focus after searching and downloading.
• Fixed the bug where renaming the folder changed the order of titles.
• Fixed the issue causing crashes.

 

BARD Mobile Fire OS Version 2.5.6 release

NLS has released version 2.5.6 of the BARD Mobile app for Fire OS, which includes many important updates.

The updates included in version 2.5.6:

 Integration with BARD login

The BARD Mobile for Fire OS app has been updated to integrate with the latest version of the BARD login system, offering a user-friendly interface for logging on, resetting your password and reviewing and accepting the End User License Agreement and Government Terms of Use.

Additionally, Settings have been updated to include a convenient password reset option from inside the app.

 Integration with BARD 2.0 and BARD Alerts improvements

The app has been updated to integrate with the latest version of the BARD system, enhancing overall performance and user experience.

BARD Alerts are now checked at app launch and at more frequent intervals to ensure timely updates to users.

 New Features/Enhancements/Bug Fixes

• Details screen: The "total time" of the item is now displayed on the Details screen for both Books and Music.
• Permission to access the device media: The BARD Mobile for Fire OS app no longer requests permission to access your device's media.
• App error messages: All English error messages have been revised to use clear, plain language that concisely explains the issue and offers helpful guidance.
• Upgrade the BARD Mobile for Fire OS app: Users no longer need to uninstall the previous version to upgrade the BARD Mobile for Fire OS app; updates will now occur automatically.
• Wishlist: Wishlist search results now accurately reflect the total number of items on your Wishlist, not just the first 25 displayed on the screen.
• VoiceView/Screen Reader navigation and focus: A series of enhancements have been made to VoiceView experience to improve navigation and focus throughout the BARD Mobile for Fire OS app:

• Get Books search: After performing a search, focus now lands on the first title in the results.
• Search results: When downloading an item, focus remains on the selected title rather than shifting unexpectedly.
• Search results navigation: If a download is in progress and the user moves to another item in the list, focus will remain on the newly selected item once the download completes, rather than jumping back to the downloaded item.
• Details screen: When a download starts, focus moves to the title of the item.
• Details screen post-download: After downloading, focus returns to the download button, which updates to a Play button upon completion.

• Downloads: Improvements have been made to the download process and messaging to ensure consistent status updates across all format - Books, Braille Books and Magazines - from both the Get Books and Bookshelf tabs.

• Speed: We have fixed the speed control button bug that periodically caused the screen reader to repeatedly announce "speed is normal" when the button was pressed longer than a tap, occasionally requiring a device restart.

• Improved monitoring: Enhanced reporting features and standardized logging through a uniform sampling rate.

The version is available in the Amazon Appstore, and is supported by operation 7.0 and above.

 

That All May eRead

You can find recordings and transcripts of previous That All May eRead programs on the NLS website at www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/that-all-may-ere

Quarterly Patron Corner and The Many Faces of BARD

If you want to find out more about regularly scheduled online programs that will enrich your NLS experience, check out the upcoming Quarterly Patron Corner and The Many Faces of BARD events and enjoy streaming audio from past online events. 

New BARD Download Limits Beginning February 6, 2024, NLS patrons will be allowed to download no more than 250 books and magazines from BARD in any rolling thirty-day period. This includes both audio and braille titles. It does not matter which platform or combination of platforms are used to download the books and magazines. You may download no more than 250 books and magazines in any rolling thirty-day period regardless of the format or the BARD interface used. The authorization limit is calculated by adding up the number of “unique titles” downloaded. This means you can download the same title on additional devices in the same thirty-day period without that download counting against the authorization limit.   BARD Mobile Kindle version 1.4.6 release NLS has released BARD Mobile Kindle Fire version 1.4.6. This is the second in a series of releases designed to support native Amazon Kindle Fire OS development and Amazon accessibility functions, including VoiceView for screen reader and braille output support. This release includes several usability and accessibility enhancements, including improved color contrast and text sizing. Some issues related to the VoiceView have been resolved. Additionally, a few bug fixes have been implemented to enhance the overall user experience. BARD Mobile users can confirm that they are running the latest version by checking the app settings.   High-Volume Player and Breath Switch Accessory Did you know that qualified NLS patrons who are hard of hearing (as certified by an audiologist or physician) can request a high-volume digital talking-book machine (DTBM) and stereo headphones at no cost? NLS also provides for free a breath switch compatible with both standard and advanced DTBMs. It is intended for those who are unable to use the buttons on a DTBM. The USB breath switch provides control of all functions of the DTBM using sip-and-puff actions. It comes with a shirt clip, removable mouth tube, and inline moisture filter. To request a high-volume DTBM or breath switch, or to learn more, contact us at the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library at 1-800-242-8822 or WTBBL@milwaukee.gov     NLS Patron Announce-Only Listserv Want to get the latest news and updates from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled? NLS’s Patron Engagement Section now hosts an announce-only listserv that will include announcements about NLS programs, services, and products that might be of interest to patrons. New announcements will be posted to the list few times a week. If you are interested in signing up for this listserv, please send your name and email address to the Patron Engagement Section at NLSPES@loc.gov. You will be able to unsubscribe yourself from the list at any time. So email NLSPES@loc.gov now! Launch of the New NLS Spanish-Language Website The National Library Service has launched a Spanish-language website to help connect Spanish speakers to a large and growing collection of Spanish books and magazines. Readers with low vision or blindness, or a disability that prevents them from using regular print materials can find information about NLS, apply for service, as well as find various resources and library materials in Spanish with ease. Take a look and share with your favorite Spanish-language readers. www.loc.gov/nls/es/  NLS Launches Braille-on-Demand Pilot Project NLS is launching a Braille-on-Demand pilot project on Monday, June 20, 2022. This project will allow active patrons to request and receive one hard-copy braille title per month, which patrons can retain for their personal use. If an individual who is not registered as a patron submits an order, NLS will refer the individual to their local network library to begin the process of becoming a patron. Braille titles will be limited to books that are currently available on BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service. At this time, requests are limited to one book per patron per month. Only complete titles will be distributed. Requests for partial titles (for example, volume one of a three-volume book) will result in receiving the entire book. Braille titles will be limited to books that are currently available on BARD.  The form to request a braille-on-demand book:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NLSbrailleondemand You may also contact WTBBL or NLS Reference at nlsref@loc.gov for assistance in completing the form.   NFB-NEWSLINE® Service Available The Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library signs up WTBBL patrons for the free NFB-NEWSLINE® service which provides more than 300 publications, including fifteen Wisconsin newspapers (including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin State Journal), updated daily, accessible by telephone or an iOS (Apple/Mac) app. The user selects a newspaper, a section, or an article of interest which is read to them using synthetic speech (nonhuman computerized speech). The service includes job listings and death notices. To sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE®, Wisconsin residents should contact the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library at (800) 242-8822 or visit wtbbl@milwaukee.gov. Newspapers from throughout the United States cooperate with the NFB-NEWSLINE® service and send electronic text to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) for processing and distribution. Access to this service is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to anyone who is eligible to receive library services from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) of the Library of Congress and cooperating network libraries, such as WTBBL. How to Use NFB-NEWSLINE® All NFB-NEWSLINE® readers need an identification number and security code, which are assigned upon registration. Using the system requires a touch-tone telephone. A phone with a speaker is convenient but not required. Anyone who is registered can call NFB-NEWSLINE® at the number provided: (888) 882-1629. After a brief opening announcement, the system will ask for your preassigned identification number and security code, which you enter on the touch-tone keypad. Once admitted, you can then access the newspaper menu or select other information. When choosing the newspaper option, you can read papers in your state or nearby area, or you can read other papers from across the country. After you have chosen a paper, you can listen to today's edition, yesterday's edition, or the Sunday paper, which remains on NFB-NEWSLINE® for an entire week. Once in the menu of a particular paper, you can choose any section presented on the menu as soon as you hear the one you want. You can switch from article to article, section to section, or paper to paper at any time and without delay; it is fast and easy. Also, when reading a particular section, pressing a single key on the telephone keypad will quickly move you from one article to the next, skip ahead in the article, return to a previous article, change the speaking speed, change the reading voice, or spell out or search for words. The keystrokes are few and easy to remember. NFB-NEWSLINE® reminds you to check the help page to learn more about the service and any changes each time you call. Alexa instructions can be found on the NFB-NEWSLINE® website at https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-newsline/alexa-instructions To sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE®, Wisconsin residents should contact the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library at (800) 242-8822 or wtbbl@milwaukee.gov.