Free

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • September 19, 2013
  • July 3, 2026
BARD Mobile screenshot #1 for iPhone
BARD Mobile screenshot #2 for iPhone
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About

Access a vast digital library of audiobooks, electronic braille books, magazines, and music scores. This service is provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled to eligible US residents and citizens abroad who cannot read standard print.

Tens of thousands of books
Current best sellers and classics
Popular magazines
Music instruction and scores
Audio and electronic braille formats
New selections added daily
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What users say

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What's New in BARD Mobile

2.2.6

July 3, 2026

What’s new in Version 2.2.6 (865): iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 support • Fully compatible with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 • Also supports the two previous iOS versions Improved searching and sorting • Long lists (e.g., Recently Added, Most Popular) are now fully searchable • Improved VoiceOver experience when searching and sorting Bug fixes and improvements • Pausing and resuming downloads now works reliably • Wish List result count updates correctly after deleting an item • Deleted items no longer appear in the Wish List • Braille playback scrolling now works correctly on iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 VoiceOver improvements • VoiceOver focus now stays on Now Reading after selecting a book for playback • VoiceOver focus remains in place when selecting “Expand Annotation” Technical enhancements • Implemented Offline Tokens for improved reliability

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User reviews

Bug while traveling

This app has made such a difference to me. With low vision it has allowed me to continue reading, and the interface is intuitive to use with low vision. I especially appreciate that you can change the color contrast, but the font should be in bold, as thin fonts are more difficult to navigate. One big problem is when traveling. I was going on a long international flight and downloaded several books to enjoy on the flight and during my travels. I lost them all when not connected to the internet and had a very long and boring flight. I could not reload them while abroad either. I thought these were downloaded to my phone and should have been accessible. Since then I’ve noticed that when I open the app it temporarily shows 0 books until the book’s load in. The loss of these materials for a long trip was heartbreaking since listening to the movies on board a flight are not as entertaining as listening to a good book.
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Every useful

Doesn't have a lot of book but still was some good ones

Download problem

The audio titles and braille titles get put on the download cue.
Please fix the problem.

Audio issue

I have iPad 10th generation I’m running iPadOS 26.5.2 and the version of the app is 226 and the issue is when I closed the app out of the app switcher and then reopen it more often than not. It backs up the book 15 to 30 minutes.

It doesn't always add books to your wish list.

I've added books to my wish list, and frequently, when I go back, they've dropped off my wish list, though I can find them and re-add them. Sometimes they stay, sometimes they don't. This is a big problem when trying to put books from a specific series, or a type of book in your wish list so that you can have them available without having to search over and over again. I've had to start downloading them, which takes up a lot of room, just so that I don't forget what books I wanted to read, because of this problem. A wish list was supposed to alleviate that problem, but it doesn't.
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Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

20 issues

Login credentials cannot be decrypted error

Bug

Device registration failed when logging in from different locations

Bug

Downloads stuck in queue indefinitely

Bug

App crashes on iOS 26 and recent iOS versions

Bug

VoiceOver focus jumping unexpectedly

Bug

Braille books display gibberish or won't advance properly

Bug

Search results disappear when switching apps or receiving calls

Bug

Playback stops when screen turns off

Bug

Wireless headset stop button not responding

Bug

Sleep timer not working correctly

Bug

Books not syncing across multiple devices

Bug

Account marked as suspended without reason

Bug

Password reset functionality broken

Bug

Airplay 2 compatibility issues

Bug

Siri commands inconsistent

Bug

Playback lag and stuttering

Bug

Books fail to extract after download

Bug

Recent downloads cannot be cleared

Bug

Braille display connection issues

Bug

Tone adjustment button not functioning

Bug

Requested Features

18 requests

Genre and category filtering for book browsing

Feature

Cross-device synchronization of bookmarks and reading position

Feature

Equalizer and pitch shifter controls

Feature

More playback speed options

Feature

Volume control within the app

Feature

Rewind/fast-forward button customization

Feature

Favorites list feature

Feature

Book request/suggestion feature

Feature

Web browser access within the app

Feature

Braille text display alongside audio

Feature

Dark mode for reduced brightness

Feature

Table of contents for short story collections

Feature

Customizable reading lists

Feature

Ability to cleanup recent downloads

Feature

USB flash drive support for storage

Feature

Better book series organization

Feature

Faster book addition to library

Feature

Book sharing feature between patrons

Feature

FAQ

What is BARD Mobile?

BARD Mobile provides eligible users with access to a digital library of tens of thousands of books, magazines, and music scores in audio and electronic braille formats. It is a service of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS).

Who is eligible to use BARD Mobile?

Eligibility is for residents of the US and American citizens living abroad who cannot read regular print due to blindness, temporary or permanent low vision, or a physical or reading disability. You must be enrolled in the NLS program.

How do I get started with BARD Mobile?

To use BARD Mobile, you must first enroll in the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). You can enroll by calling 1-888-NLS-READ or by contacting your cooperating NLS library if you are already an NLS patron. You will then need to request a BARD account.

Is there a cost to use BARD Mobile?

No, BARD Mobile is a free service. The app itself is free to download and use, and access to the library materials is provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) at no cost to eligible users.

What kind of content is available on BARD Mobile?

BARD Mobile offers access to a wide range of content, including current best sellers, classic literature, popular magazines, and music instruction and scores. All content is available in both audio and electronic braille formats.