Network Bulletin No.: 09-10
Date: April 24, 2009
Subject: Digital talking books
Index term: BARD web site change
The current phase of the NLS downloadable audiobooks and magazines service will
end April 28, 2009. It will be replaced by the permanent web site for Braille and Audio
Reading Download (BARD), which you will be able to access at a new web site,
https://nlsbard.loc.gov, beginning Thursday, April 30, 2009.
The official opening of BARD to all eligible readers will be announced by NLS before
the end of the year. For network libraries, this web site change does not affect the
current pattern of BARD registration and patron service.
Users who know their passwords will be able to log on to the new site; users who rely
on their browsers to remember their passwords will need new ones (follow instructions
in Section II). All user accounts will be migrated to the new system, so patrons do not
need to reapply. All materials previously downloaded will remain usable, so patrons
will not need to redownload their reading material.
This message describes what's new about BARD and explains what steps must be taken
to access the new site. Please read the entire message carefully.
Section I. What's new about BARD:
1. Unlimited downloading. The BARD service will no longer limit the number
of books and magazines that you may download. Any account holder may
download any item at any time. During heavy demand, however, NLS may
limit the number of simultaneous downloads for each account.
2. New logon page. The site logon will now use a form rather than a dialog box.
It is the same type of logon found on most Internet pages and should be
immediately familiar to users of other sites. This is an important note for
screen-reader users.
3. New search functionality. BARD searches will yield more effective results.
The use of multiple search terms will return only results containing all of the terms.
4. New "Most Popular Books" list. By selecting the "Most Popular Books" link
from the home page, users may access a list of the top twenty most
downloaded books on the BARD service in the last ninety days. Fiction and
nonfiction titles will be listed separately.
5. Redesigned magazine section. The "Recently Added Magazines" page will
now display links to only the most recent issue of each magazine. Magazines
older than one year may be accessed from each title's magazine archive. Links
to the archive are at the bottom of each magazine's page.
Section II. Take the following steps to ensure access to the new site:
1. Patrons must know their logon IDs and passwords to log on to the new site.
The logon ID is the patron's e-mail address.
2. Patrons who know their logon IDs and passwords will not need to do
anything. They may simply access the new site, https://nlsbard.loc.gov,
starting Thursday, April 30.
3. Patrons who have forgotten their passwords must obtain a new one to be able
to log on to the new site.
4. Patrons who do not know their passwords but are able to automatically log on
to the pilot site because their browsers know their passwords must choose a
new password. Since the new site has a different address from the pilot site,
patrons cannot rely on their web browsers to automatically log on to BARD.
To request a new password, patrons should follow these steps:
a. Select the link "Update My Settings" from the site home page.
b. From the settings page, select the first link, "Change Your Password."
c. Enter the new password twice, and then select the "Change Password"
button.
d. Remember this new password to access BARD.
5. Patrons who cannot log on to the site because they do not know their passwords
may have a new one sent to them. They should follow these steps:
a. Access the password recovery page at https://www.nlstalkingbooks.org/cgi-
bin/public/dtbscripts_v2/recoverpw.cgi. b. Enter the e-mail address and then select the "Send Me a New Password"
button. A new temporary password will be generated and sent to the
patron's e-mail address.
c. Retrieve the password, log on to the site, and choose a new password.
d. Remember this new password to access BARD.
6. If for some reason patrons are not able to use any of these options, they may send
a request for a new password to [log in to unmask] Because of the
anticipated large number of requests, they should expect the new password within
two business days.
The last day of availability of the pilot site will be Tuesday, April 28. The service will not
be available at all on Wednesday, April 29, to allow user accounts to be migrated to the
new site, which will be available on Thursday, April 30.
NLS appreciates the efforts of all who have participated in the pilot test. Your feedback has
allowed us to continuously improve the site and to plan future expansions, such as the
inclusion of braille books. Though the pilot phase is ending, we remain open to your
feedback about the BARD service. Please send your comments to [log in to unmask]
Send questions or requests about the book and magazine collection to your library.
For more information contact:
Neil Bernstein
Research and Development Officer
[log in to unmask]
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