Moving to a new state—or even to a new country—can be a big transition, but one thing you don’t have to worry about is continuing your Talking Book Program service. No matter where you’re headed, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) ensures uninterrupted access to reading materials for all eligible users. Whether you’re relocating across the U.S. or abroad, you can count on seamless service transfer, helpful staff, and additional resources to support your needs. This guide will walk you through how to maintain your service, return materials, and find disability-related support in your new location.
Heading off to college is an exciting transition, and the Texas Talking Book Program is here to support you every step of the way—whether you’re staying in-state or heading out of Texas. From transferring your service to another state’s talking book program to assisting with research for a paper, we’re committed to making sure you stay connected to the resources you need. While our collection doesn’t include textbooks, we do offer a wide range of supplementary materials that can enhance your studies. And if we don’t have what you need, we can also suggest alternative organizations that can help you locate accessible academic resources. This guide outlines everything you need to know as a college-bound student using the Talking Book Program—because even in college, we’re still your library.
Do you want to learn to play an instrument? NLS has your back. All you need to do is find an instrument. We have instructions on how to learn to play many instruments as well as music scores for all levels of proficiency. We have music-oriented magazines and the NLS Music Section has a blog! We have almost anything a music enthusiast could want.
This is intended for those patrons wanting to learn an instrument. So, if you’ve been playing for years, check out the NLS Music Section (detailed below) for more information.
Finding Instructional Music Materials on BARD
BARD website
1. BARD Main Page – Find Music Books and Scores
2. Select “Music Collection.”
a. Instrument Instruction Materials
i. Scroll down to “Browse by subject.”
ii. In the dropdown menu to the right, scroll down and select “Instructional”, then select the “Go” button to the right.
iii. Results will come up for the instructional materials for all instruments. This will be a mix of instrument instruction as well as songs for beginners.
b. Instructions for playing music by ear
i. Type in the keyword search for “Flute by ear” and tap “Go.”
ii. Results will come up for the “Flute by ear materials.” This will be a mix of instrument instruction as well as songs for flute to be learned “by ear.” Just substitute one of the instruments listed below to find the specific one you want.
BARD Express
1. Go to “Browse by Subject.”
a. Instrument Instruction Materials
i. In the dropdown menu of subjects below, scroll down and select “Instructional.”
ii. Results will come up for the instructional materials for all instruments. This will be a mix of instrument instruction as well as songs for beginners.
iii. Type Ctrl+F and a screen will pop up. Enter the instrument you want and hit enter. This will pull up all the musical instructional materials for that instrument.
b. Instructions for playing music by ear
i. Select “Browse by subject.”
ii. In the dropdown menu of subjects below, scroll down and select “instructional.”
iii. Results will come up for the instructional materials for all instruments. This will be a mix of instrument instruction as well as songs for beginners.
iv. Type Ctrl+F and a screen will pop up. Type “By ear” into the filter field and select the “Ok” button.
c. Song Instructions for playing a specific instrument by ear
i. Select “Browse by Series.”
ii. In the filter field type “Flute.” The series title “Flute by ear” should appear below in the results field. Select it.
iii. Results will include individual songs in the flute by ear series.
BARD app for iOS and Android
1. Go to “Get Books” tab.
2. Select “Search Music.”
a. Browse Instrument Instruction Materials
i. Type in the keyword search “For the visually impaired” and tap “Go.”
ii. Results will come up for all the “Introduction to” materials for various different instruments by Bill Brown.
b. Instructions for a specific instrument
i. Type in a title search for “Intro to the flute” or “Flute for the visually impaired” and select the “Go” button.
ii. Results will come up with the instructions for the flute. Just substitute one of the instruments listed below to find the specific one you want.
c. Instructions for playing music by ear
i. Type in the keyword search for “By ear” and tap “Go.”
ii. Results will come up for all the “By ear materials.” This will be a mix of instrument instruction as well as songs for either piano or guitar to be learned “by ear.”
d. Instructions for playing a specific instrumentby ear
i. Type in “Guitar by ear” or substitute “Guitar” for one of the instruments listed below.
ii. Results will come up for all the by ear materials for that specific instrument.
Music Course Materials (Audio Format)
Bill Brown: Mr. Brown made a series of introductory courses for the guitar and piano that were recorded with the visually impaired in mind. Currently there are “Intro to…” courses for over a dozen instruments as well as hundreds of “by ear” song lessons for several of these instruments.
Instruments: Five-string banjo, chromatic button chord accordion, drums, flute, guitar (bass, flamenco, and lead), harmonica, mandolin, penny whistle, piano, piano by ear, saxophone (alto, tenor, and soprano), ukulele (baritone and soprano), and violin.
…By Ear Series: Many instruments have a “by ear” series that includes basic instruction as well as instruction for specific songs. Do a series search for the name of your instrument and add “by ear.” For example: Flute by Ear.
Instruments: Banjo, bass guitar, flute, guitar (includes ukulele), harmonica, piano, and saxophone (alto, tenor, and soprano).
Music Course Materials (Braille Format)
Belwin Orchestra Builder: This wonderful resource is for those who wish to teach someone else to play an instrument.
Instruments: Baritone, bassoon, cello, clarinet (alto and bass), drums, drums and bells, flute, horn, mellophone, oboe, piccolo, saxophone (alto, baritone, and tenor), string bass, trombone, trumpet (includes cornet), tuba, viola, and violin.
Another resource for braille music course materials is the Hadley School for the Blind.
Hadley Institute developed courses intended for adults who wish to learn braille music for themselves, to support braille music learners, and possibly pursue further training in teaching braille music or transcribing print music into braille. The courses are available in downloadable braille in BRF or in large print (LPM) in PDF. The braille and audio course materials are also available to download from the Music Collection on BARD in BRM or DBM.
NLS Music Section
Now you have the basics down or you’re already a virtuoso and you need music. That’s where the NLS Music Section comes into play.
The Music Section of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress, has the largest music collection of its kind in the world, with more than 25,000 titles including braille and large print scores and recorded instructional materials about music and musicians.
Any person eligible for NLS services is also eligible for NLS music services. While patrons receive most NLS services through the network of cooperating libraries, NLS music materials circulate directly to patrons from the NLS headquarters in Washington, DC.
How to Request Music Service
Patrons already registered with a cooperating network library should contact the NLS Music Section directly either via phone (800-424-8567 ext. 2) or via email (nlsm@loc.gov).
Finding Music Magazines and MORE on BARD
Music Magazines
Six music magazines are available by direct-mail subscription to registered users. Subscriptions may be obtained through the local cooperating library or the NLS Music Section. Several are also available via download from BARD. The magazines are:
Braille Music Magazine: a monthly British publication containing articles and criticism from British classical music magazines. Hard-copy embossed issues are mailed to all subscribers.
Contemporary Soundtrack: A Review of Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Country: a bimonthly NLS-compiled sampler of articles from national magazines. It is available to subscribers on cartridge and on BARD.
Musical Mainstream: an NLS-compiled sampler from national magazines. It contains current articles on classical music and music education. The quarterly publication is available in braille, ebraille, and audio. Audio is available to subscribers on cartridge and on BARD.
Popular Music Lead Sheets: an NLS-compiled collection of melodies, lyrics, and chords to popular songs ranging from oldies to recent hits. Published quarterly in braille, it is available on BARD.
Quarterly Music Magazine: a single issue of a complete music magazine chosen from among commercial popular and classical offerings. This audio publication is available to subscribers on cartridge and on BARD.
Sound and Vision: a monthly publication containing articles and reviews of music recordings and information about technological equipment. It is available to subscribers on cartridge and on BARD.
NLS Music Notes: The NLS Music Section blog, NLS Music Notes highlights the NLS music collection, presents newly added titles, profiles musicians who are blind or visually impaired, and features braille music transcribers and their work, along with a variety of related music topics and activities. New posts appear every Thursday.
Spanish is a high priority international language. BARD has a Spanish language collection, and its interface is available in Spanish on the web version and also both iOS and Android BARD apps.
There are three main sources for Spanish audiobooks:
NLS narrates print or ebooks,
NLS converts Spanish commercial audiobooks to accessible audiobooks, and
NLS imports accessible audiobooks in Spanish from other countries via the Marrakesh Treaty. The vast majority of these come from Spain.
NLS collects both translations into Spanish and original-Spanish language books from as many Spanish-speaking countries as possible.
BARD
On BARD, there are currently 6,499 audiobooks and 62 braille books in Spanish (including music titles). The Spanish collection has increased by 150% over the past 3 and a half years.
Finding Spanish Language Books in BARD
You can find these Spanish language titles by changing your preferred language or filtering search results by selecting your preferred language.
BARD Website
Go to Account Settings.
Choose the fourth item down “Select this link to change your language preferences.”
Check the checkbox next to Spanish.
Click on the “update” button.
BARD Express
Go to Search BARD.
Select the “Filter” button.
Select the checkbox next to Spanish Language.
Select the “Ok” button at bottom of the screen.
BARD app for iOS
Go to Settings Tab.
Go to User Account Settings.
The fifth item down is “Language Preferences.”
Choose Spanish.
BARD App for Android
In the app’s Settings, go to User Account Settings and then Language Preferences.
Select up to four languages.
When searching for books in the app, you will have up to four languages based on your settings. Default languages are English and Spanish if no changes are made.
Join the National Library Service (NLS) for the Many Faces of BARD program on Thursday, November 14, at 6:00 p.m. central time. The topic will be using NLS BARD on the HIMS SensePlayer.
BARD stands for Braille and Audio Reading Download service and is a registered trademark for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
Registration is not required. The session is scheduled for one hour with time for questions. Click on the link to join: https://tinyurl.com/29zv8pxe.
Join the National Library Service (NLS) on Tuesday, October 29, at 6:00 p.m. central time for the next session of the online series That All May eRead. This session will cover how to access online services using the Zoomax and Humanware braille ereaders.
So, you’re moving to another state. That is always stressful. There are so many things to think about: packing all of your things, finding a new place to live, MOVING all of your stuff, and then unpacking. It is a BEAR. So don’t let your Talking Book Program service be just one more thing to worry about. We’re here to put your mind at ease.
First, no matter which state you move to, there is a Talking Book Program service. EVERYONE who is eligible for service can obtain service, no matter which state you live in. You can find your new state’s regional Talking Book Program at NLS Find Your Library.
We can transfer your service to whichever state you’re moving to. Once you’ve obtained your new address, give us a call about a week prior to your move at 1-800-252-9605, or send an email to tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov.
If you have a talking book player, let us know, and we’ll alert your new state that you’re bringing one with you. Please send all other materials, magazines, and book cartridges, as well as physical braille materials, back to us here in Texas.
We also realize you may need information about disability resources in your new state. Here are a few ideas for finding them:
First, ask your new Talking Book Program library staff. They may know and even have a list of disability-related organizations. In fact, you can also call us at the Texas library. We have a Disability Information and Referral Center, and our librarian can research agencies in other states.
2-1-1: Try calling 2-1-1 to locate local information and resources. This is a free information and referral service that is available in every state.
Eldercare Locator: 800-677-1116 (call or chat, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 9 pm, Eastern) Eldercare Locator can provide contacts for state agencies such as Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC’s) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAA’s) which can connect you to more specific resources.
The National Federation for the Blind (NFB) and the American Council for the Blind (ACB) both have links to state affiliates:
Maybe you’re moving abroad, which is very exciting! We STILL have you covered. The NLS Overseas Service assists US citizens who qualify for the service and live outside of the United States. Eligible non-US citizens who are dependents of active-duty military or diplomatic personnel may also apply for service. Just contact them to let them know to which country you’re moving. Here is the contact information for the Overseas Service below:
Overseas Service National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled 1291 Taylor Street, NW Washington, DC 20542
2025 is right around the corner, and we have the perfect item to help you start the year off right. The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled provides braille and print/braille calendars to its patrons free of charge. Calendars are available in two sizes: a larger wall calendar in print/braille and a smaller, pocket-sized calendar in braille only. Best of all, you can order multiple copies of each calendar.
Once you are subscribed, you will receive a calendar each year unless you choose to stop your subscription. If you received calendars in 2024, you do not need to order again, unless you want to change the type or number of calendars that you receive. Calendars for 2025 will be shipped this fall.
To get your calendar, e-mail tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov or call 1-800-252-9605 and let us know which calendar you would like to order.
Join the National Library Service (NLS) on Tuesday, August 27, at 6:00 p.m. (Central) for the next session of the online series That All May E-Read. This session will cover how to read BARD Mobile books using the Zoomax and Humanware Braille eReaders.
How exciting! You’re going off to college. It’s really your first true step into adulthood. So, it can be a little daunting too. But remember, you’re not alone; your talking book service can be there with you for this big transition.
If you’re going to a college in Texas, just call us to let us know your new contact information so we don’t lose touch!
But if you’re moving to a college out of state, don’t worry! No matter which state you move to, there is a talking book program service. And we can transfer your service to that state since you’ll be there for the majority of the year. Once you’ve obtained your new address, give us a call about a week prior to your move at 1-800-252-9605 or send an email to tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov.
Textbooks
Unfortunately, the Talking Book Program does not have textbooks in our collection. But we do often have supplementary materials. For example, you’re taking a course on African American literature. We won’t have your textbook in our collection, BUT we have a lot of books written by and about African American authors. We also have general books about the Harlem Renaissance. Once you get your syllabus, feel free to contact us and see which books are in our collection. Or, better yet, search BARD.
Organizations with Accessible-Format Materials for Students
Learning Ally: Learning Ally is a national nonprofit that provides reading materials in a variety of accessible formats for people with a wide range of reading disabilities, including blindness, visual impairment, dyslexia, and other learning differences. Students can browse the library, order and download audiobooks, and listen/study on PCs and Mac computers, smartphones and tablets running Android or Apple iOS, as well as on specialized assistive technology devices.
Bookshare®is a FREE, federally-funded library of ebooks designed for students with learning differences. Students who struggle to read traditional books are empowered to read in ways that work for them with specialized ebooks in audio, audio with highlighted text, large font, and braille.
Let us know if there is other information you need. For example, if you’re writing a paper and need some research pointers, give us a call. Remember, even though you’re an adult, we are still your public library.
