BARD Express User Guide

BARD Express User Guide, Version 3.0

Table of Contents

• Section 1: Welcome
  • 1.1: Access to BARD
  • 1.2: Operating BARD Express
  • 1.3: BARD Installation
  • 1.4: BARD Login
• Section 2: Getting Started
  • 2.1: Heading and Menu Bar
  • 2.2: Main Menu
• Section 3: Bookshelf
  • 3.1: Accessing Titles on Your Computer
  • 3.2: Copying Materials to a Cartridge (or Other Storage Device)
  • 3.3: Deleting Titles from Your Bookshelf
  • 3.4: Learning More about Titles on Your Bookshelf
  • 3.5: Marking Titles as Read
  • 3.6: Sort Order
  • 3.7: Find
• Section 4: Wish List
  • 4.1 Downloading Titles from the Wish List
  • 4.2 Learning More about Titles on Your Wish List
  • 4.3 Removing Titles from Your Wish List
• Section 5: Browsing the BARD Collection
  • 5.1: Recently Added Books and Magazines
  • 5.2: Most Popular Books
  • 5.3: Browse by Subject
  • 5.4: Browse by Series
  • 5.5: Browse Magazines
• Section 6: Searching the BARD Collection
• Section 7: Player
  • 7.1 Start Listening
  • 7.2: Player Menu
  • 7.3: Navigation
  • 7.4 Bookmarks
  • 7.5: Sleep Timer
  • 7.6: Adjusting Speed
  • 7.7: Adjusting Tone
  • 7.8: Recently Read
  • 7.9 Fast Forward
  • 7.10 Rewind
• Section 8: Preferences
  • 8.1: Format
  • 8.2: Cartridge Copy Mode
  • 8.3: Display Mode
  • 8.4: Status Sounds
  • 8.5: Result Message Display Time
  • 8.6: Bookshelf Location
• Section 9: Managing Devices
  • 9.1: Identifying Devices
  • 9.2: Device Contents
• Section 10: Download Status

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled

Section 1: Welcome

Welcome to the BARD Express User Guide! This user guide will provide information on the various features of BARD Express, a Windows-based software to streamline searches, downloading, and transferring books and magazines while using BARD Express. Screenshots in the user guide provide a visual reference and may not match screen reader representations.

1.1: Access to BARD

NLS patrons with a BARD account are eligible to use BARD Express. If you do not have a BARD account, click this link to learn how to sign up for services. BARD Express operates on personal computers running Windows 10 in 32-bit or 64-bit environments. An Internet connection is required to use BARD Express.

1.2: Operating BARD Express

BARD Express is completely accessible to visually impaired individuals. The software is fully functional with JAWS 2020 or NVDA 2020, and later versions. Low-vision users may also increase the View font size to four times the standard size.

Keyboard commands are available for various features and functions of BARD Express. These key combinations are spoken by the screen reader and are shown on braille displays when focus lands on an item with a keyboard shortcut. For example, “CTRL+R” is said when the focus is on the Main page/Recently Added Books and Magazines. The table below lists some frequently used hot keys.

Action	Keystroke	Screen
Access BARD Express Help documents	F1	Any
Table of Contents	Alt+C	Help
Switch between Table of Contents and Content screen	F6	Help
List of vocabulary terms from the Help feature	Alt+N	Help
Search Help documents from the Help feature	Alt+S	Help
Exit Help documents	Alt+F4	Help
Account information	Alt+F	Any
Any	Escape	Go back one screen
Manage Devices	Ctrl+N	Any
Open the Download Status screen	Ctrl+T	Any
Open the change preferred format dialog box	Ctrl+E	Any
Return to the Search field	Ctrl+S	Any
Find	Ctrl+F	Book lists of results
Reset Find Utility to the default	Alt+E	Any
Open Filter	Alt+I	Book lists of results
Return to Previous Downloads screen	Escape "	Any
Sort	Alt+T	Book lists of results
Subscribe to a book series or magazine	Alt+S	Inside a book series or magazine title
Unsubscribe from a book series or magazine	Alt+U	Inside a book series or magazine title
Access Column Configuration	Alt+V+C	Book Lists Of Results
Increase font size		Any
Decrease font size	Alt+V+F+F+Enter	Any
Items per page	Alt+V+I	Book Lists Of Results
Access the Getting Started guide	Alt+H+G	Any
Check for software updates	Alt+H+C	Any
Access About BARD Express	Alt+H+A	Any
Most Popular Books	Ctrl+D	Any
Browse by Series	Ctrl+G	Any
Browse the magazine collection	Ctrl+I	Any
Browse by subjects	Ctrl+J	Any
Wish list	Ctrl+W	Any
Recently Added Books and Magazines	Ctrl+R	Any
Search BARD	Ctrl+S	Any
Toggle between Standard Mode and Advanced Mode	Ctrl+L	Book Lists
Access the Main Menu	Ctrl+M	Any
Access Preferences	Ctrl+P	Any
Screen reader speaks title of current screen	Ctrl+Q	Any
Download Selected Titles	Alt+D	Book Lists
Load Next page of Results	Alt+N	Book Lists
Load Previous page of Results	Alt+P	Book Lists
Delete title from Bookshelf	Alt+D	Bookshelf
Remove title from Wish List	Alt+R	Wish List
Play/pause	Spacebar	Player
Fast Forward 5 seconds	Letter F	Player
Fast Forward intervals by holding down letter F	Press and hold letter F	Player
Rewind 5 seconds	Letter R	Player
Rewind intervals by holding down letter R	Press and hold letter R	Player
Close Now Reading screen to return to Main program menu	Alt+F4 or clicking Close. Focus will return to the Bookshelf, and on the title that was being read	Player
Cycle through navigation levels	Letter M	Player
Navigation menu	Letter A then press Enter or mouse-click	Player
Where am I	Letter W	Player
Navigate to beginning of the book	Home key	Player
Navigate to end of the book	End key	Player
Next nav point	Letter N	Player
Move forward 5 nav points at a time	Press and hold letter N	Player
Previous nav point	Letter P	Player
Move backward 5 nav points at a time	Press and hold letter P	Player
Recently read	E, then press Enter or mouse-click	Player

1.3: BARD Installation

Find the link to install the software on the Welcome to BARD Express web page. Before users can log into BARD Express, they must first agree to the End-User License Agreement. By pressing the checkbox, users agree to the terms of the license agreement. Once this process has been completed, the Install Options screen will display. If the user install BARD Express on a shared computer, activate the Install on Shared Computer. This option will cause BARD Express to automatically log the user out after five minutes of inactivity or when the program is closed.

However, if selected for a private installation, BARD Express will remember the login information. Once completed, press the Next button, which will take the user to the login screen so they may enter the username and password.

If the user has selected to install the software on a private installation, the user can select Next and move to the login screen. Once the user has entered the username and password, BARD Express will remember this information, and this information should not need to be entered again unless the password is changed.

1.4: BARD Login

Once at the BARD Login screen, users should enter their Email and Password then click Sign in.

BARD Express requires new users to choose a Preferred Format. Audio is currently set, and users can select Audio, Braille, or both Audio and Braille from the Main Menu‘s Format Section. BARD Express will only include titles—in the preferred format chosen now—in title listings. Note: users may change their format preferences at any time by using Preferences on the Main Menu and selecting preferences format from the drop-down box labeled format. Alternatively, use the keyboard command Ctrl+E to access the list for formats. Use the up and down arrows to highlight a format, then click the Okay button to complete your selection.

Section 2: Getting Started

Several features help users navigate BARD Express, and this section provides a quick overview.

2.1: Heading and Menu Bar

Each screen on BARD Express has a window title and menu bar. The window title page provides the user's location in the software. The menu bar is below the window title and has three menus: Account, View, and Help.

2.1.1: Account Details

The Account menu provides login and logout information about BARD, library information, and an email address to contact the library directly. The account menu also includes contact information for the cooperating network library and access system messages from BARD.

2.1.2: View Menu

The View Menu provides many options, including the Main Menu, Bookshelf, Wish List, Recently Added Books and Magazines, Most Popular Books, and all the browse options from the Main Menu. There is an Announce Current View in the screen reader and use the Find search options on the Main Menu. All hot keys are to the right of the View options. If you are using a screen reader, press Ctrl+Q to hear what screen you are currently accessing. More options are located toward the bottom of the screen for users using the arrow keys to navigate to the menu to adjust the number of items per page, font size, or column configuration.

2.1.2.1: Subscriptions

Subscriptions are another option located on the View Menu, listing all the magazines and series subscribed. When users subscribe to a series or magazine, future titles will automatically be added to their wish list when the items are available on BARD.

Users should select a series or magazine they want to manage. More options are located toward the bottom of the screen, and users can use the Tab key to navigate to the navigate to the menu subscriptions, such as adding to their wish list, downloading, reviewing book details, unsubscribing, or sorting order for books and magazines. Note: See section 3.6 Sort Order for more information about sorting.

Once a user accesses a list of books, they can use the Find feature to make their selection. Users can search by title, author, annotation, content flags, whole words, match all words or match any words.

Content flags are for specific searches, removing titles with any violence, language, or sex. Note: NLS-produced Audio Books and braille titles are flagged for violence, language, or sex. NLS has acquired Titles from commercial audio publishers and are not typically flagged and listed as “Unrated”—meaning NLS has not reviewed them for or rated them.

The Search Title, Search Author, Search Annotation and Search Content Flags boxes are all checked. Selecting the Reset button will restore the default settings.

2.1.2.2 Previous Downloads

Titles and magazines previously downloaded are in the Previous Downloads list. Users can use the Tab key to navigate for more options such as Add to Wish List. Previous Downloads can be organized by type, subject, or author. Sort Order is available for each attribute displayed. Access the Column Configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

Search the list of terms and phrases by selecting the Find feature. Users can narrow your search by unchecking boxes such as search Title, Author, Annotation, or Content Flags, which will reduce the number of search results. Users can also search by Whole Words, Match All Words or Match Any Words.

Content flags are for specific searches, removing titles with any violence, language, or sex. Note: NLS-produced Audio Books and braille titles are flagged for violence, language, or sex. NLS has acquired Titles from commercial audio publishers and are not typically flagged and listed as “Unrated”—meaning NLS hasn’t reviewed them for or rated them.

The Search Title, Search Author, Search Annotation and Search Content Flags boxes are all checked, and users can use the Reset button to restore the default settings.

Note that if you attempt to download a title that you already downloaded, BARD Express will notify you and give you the option to continue or cancel the download.

2.1.2.3 Column Configuration

Use Column Configuration from the View Menu to arrange the elements differently. A user can change the order of the information displayed or remove information. The columns are Type—books or magazines—Format, Title, Author, Subject, Annotation, Narrator, Series, Reading Time, Date Added, File Size, and BARD ID, which is the book number. Note: Items can be resorted based on any attributes you select to display. See section 3.6 Sort Order for details.

2.1.3: Help Menu

The Help menu provides several options for additional help. Menu selections are Getting Started, Check for Updates, Help, Keyboard Command, and About, which provides information about BARD Express.

2.2: Main Menu

User can access the Main Menu to find their Bookshelf and Wish List. Wish List provides options for searching and browsing the BARD collection and includes information on the status of materials currently downloading. The Main Menu also allows users to manage external devices connected to their computer and change preference settings, such as NLS cartridges or USB flash drives.

The Bookshelf contains books and magazines that have been downloaded from BARD. Wish list consists of books and magazines not yet downloaded.

Using the Manage Devices button, users may also access external devices, cartridges, or USB flash drives connected to their computer. The Preferences menu presents options for selecting and changing preference settings. Additionally, users can check the status of materials they are downloading by activating the Download Status button.

2.2.1: Bookshelf

Any titles users have downloaded using BARD Express are listed on the Bookshelf. The default is set to Type, followed by the number of titles in each category, including All Books and Magazines, Audio Books, Audio Magazines, Braille Books, Braille Magazines, Read Items, and Unread Items. The items in the Bookshelf can also be sorted by subject or author.

2.2.2: Wish List

The BARD Express Wish List is the same as the BARD wish list. The default is set to Type followed by several titles in each category: All Books and Magazines, Audio Books, Audio Magazines, Braille Books, and Braille Magazines. Materials on the Wish List may also be sorted by subject or author.

2.2.3: Recently Added Books and Magazines

Recently Added Books and Magazines:

BARD Express is set by default to access the last ten days of books and magazines that were added to BARD. It can be set to one day, ten days, thirty days, or forty-five days by selecting the desired time from the drop-down list.

BARD Express will load 100 items at a time by default. This can be increased or decreased by opening the View Menu with (Alt+V) or clicking on the View Menu, then opening the Items Per Page submenu and selecting one of the choices.

Recently Added Books and Magazines are displayed on multiple pages, which can be navigated using the Previous and Next buttons. Standard or Advanced Modes can be changed in Preferences, or by using the keyboard command Ctrl+L while in a book list such as Recently Added Books And Magazines, Most Popular Books, or the Bookshelf. Standard Mode allows users to work with one title at a time, while Advanced Mode allows users to select multiple items using the associated checkboxes.

The Filter search lists all available subjects to choose from using the appropriate checkbox for each topic, and all topics are initially checked. Unchecking topics will remove them from the user screen. Users can filter by type by selecting Books and Magazines, or Music, for example. Users can also filter by fiction or nonfiction using by categories.

2.2.4: Most Popular Books

The Most Popular Books are titles that patrons have been most frequently downloading from BARD.

BARD Express will load 100 items at a time by default. This can be increased or decreased by opening the View Menu with (Alt+V) or clicking on the View Menu, then opening the Items Per Page submenu and selecting one of the choices.

The Most Popular Books list is displayed on multiple pages, which allows for navigation using the Previous and Next buttons.

Titles on this screen can be displayed in either the Standard or Advanced Mode.

• Standard Mode allows a user to work with only one title
• Advanced allows multiple items to be worked with at one time. By using the associated checkboxes or the keyboard command (Control A). Choose between the Standard or Advanced Mode, or press (Ctrl+L) to toggle between the two modes.

To get more information about a book while in Standard Mode, navigate to a title and press the Enter key to access the book details. If the user is in Advanced Mode, either press the Enter key on the title, or click the Book Details button to review the annotation, narrator, and more. After exploring the book's details, the book can be downloaded or added to the wish list.

2.2.5: Browse by Subject

Use Browse by Subject to display a list of books picked from a subject area of interest. BARD Express will search for books in the selected subject.

Scroll down the subject list and double-click or press Enter on the subject of interest.

To find a particular subject, go to the subject list and use first letter navigation to quickly move to a specific topic. Type some characters into the filter search field to narrow down the list. For example, type the word “fiction” without quotes, and get a list of twenty subjects, such as contemporary fiction, fantasy fiction, and more.

2.2.6: Browse by Series

Use Browse by Series to obtain a list of books on BARD Express.

Scroll down the list of series, then double-click or press Enter on the title of a book series. Alternatively, use first letter navigation to move to a specific series quickly. Users can also type a few characters in the filter to narrow the list.

2.2.7: Browse Magazines

The Browse Magazines screen presents a list of all the magazines available to download from BARD. The screen also shows if a user is already subscribed to a magazine.

Scroll down the list and double-click or press Enter on the magazine title. BARD Express will provide a list of available issues of the magazine selected. Alternatively, a user can type some characters into the filter search field to narrow down the list. For example, type, “sports” to bring up a short list of magazines that start with the word sports.

2.2.8: Search BARD

The Search screen allows users to search by keyword, by author, book number, or title. Enter the search words in the filter search or use double-quotes to group multiple words for a search.

Scroll down the list and search for a book number; type the prefix followed by the number without a space between the prefix and the number. Note: Audio prefixes include DB, DBC, DBE, DBF, DBM, and DBN, and braille prefixes include BR, BRC, BRE, BRM, and BRA.

If searching By Author Beginning With is selected, enter the first letter or letters of an author's last name. For example, entering the letter B and pressing the search returns all books whose author's last name begins with B. Typing CR returns all books whose last name starts with CR.

If searching by Title Beginning With is selected, enter the first word or words of a book's title. For example, to search for Charlotte's Web, you would type "Charlottes" in the box. The articles "A," "An," and "The" that may occur at the beginning of a title are not included in search terms. So, search for The Right Stuff by typing "Right" in the box.

BARD Express will load 100 items at a time by default. This can be increased or decreased by opening the View Menu with (Alt+V) or clicking on the View Menu, then opening the (Items Per Page submenu and selecting one of the choices.

Titles on this screen can be displayed in either the Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows you to work with only one title at a time. Advanced Mode allows multiple items to be worked with at one time by using the associated checkboxes or the keyboard command (Control A). Choose between the Standard or Advanced Mode, or press (Ctrl+L) to toggle between the two modes.

The Search BARD screen allows the user to filter by Subject. Use the filter search to change preferences. For instance, filter by Type such as Books and Magazines, select Music, or search for Fiction and Nonfiction. Searches are canceled by selecting the Cancel button or pressing the Escape button on the keyboard.

2.2.9: Preferences

Use the BARD Express Preferences to configure items such as the Cartridge Copy Mode, status sounds, and more.

Format

Select Braille, Audio and Braille or Audio from the Format list.

• Limit One Book (on a Cartridge or USB Device): With this option, all existing books are deleted when you copy a new book onto the device. BARD Express will not copy a new book onto the device if you do not agree to delete the existing title.

• Allow Multiple Books (on Cartridges and Devices): With this option selected, you can keep existing books on the device when you copy a book onto an external storage device.

Cartridge Copy Mode

• Limit One Book on a Cartridge or USB Device: With this option selected, all existing books on an external storage device are deleted when you copy a new book onto the device. BARD Express will not copy another book onto the device if you do not agree to delete the title already on the device.

• Allow Multiple Books on Cartridges and Devices: With this option selected, when you copy a book onto an external storage device, the program allows you to leave existing books on the device or delete them.

Display Mode

• Standard Mode allows you to work with only one title at a time. If you double-click or tab to the Enter button, the book details are displayed, along with functions such as Cartridge Copy Mode to Cartridge, Mark as read, or delete from Bookshelf.

• Advanced Mode allows you to work with multiple items to download books or Add to Wish List. Use Advanced Mode to download multiple titles or remove titles from your wish list.

Status Sounds

• If Play Status Sound is On, then a status tone will sound when large lists take more than 10 seconds to load. If Play Status Sound is Off, there will be no status tones heard.

Result Message Display Time

When BARD Express searches for books, a small "wait" window displays; when the slider is set to the minimum value, it will not be displayed, while the result message does not go away until the user is set to maximum value presses the OK button. When the slider is set somewhere in-between, the result message will be displayed from one to nine seconds.

Bookshelf Directory

This directory where your BARD books and magazines are kept—your bookshelf—is a subfolder within the main Documents folder called BARD. The Preferences screen will display the exact directory location. Users should not need to change this directory location, but users might want to change the directory using multiple hard drives. The bookshelf directory is an edit field that can be typed into, or a user can select the Choose a Different Directory. Users can import previously downloaded books into BARD Express. The View Directory Location in the Windows Explorer button will allow users to view the specified directory. Users may manually copy BARD items into their directory of choice.

2.2.10: Manage Devices

The Manage Devices screen displays a list of removable storage devices connected to the PC computer, such as an NLS cartridge or USB flash drive, and shows the number of books on each device. Note: BARD Express manages removable drive changes, so users can plug and unplug devices while the program is running. When a user picks a device, a listing will provide how much room is left on the removable device. USB ports allow devices to be connected to transfer digital data. BARD Express will check the book contents to ensure that there is enough room to download the full title when choosing a book.

2.2.11 Download Status

The Download Status screen displays detailed information about downloads currently in process.

Section 3: Bookshelf

Bookshelf is the first menu on the Main Menu and is used to manage all titles on the PC computer that were downloaded using BARD Express.

Titles can be displayed in either the Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows a user to work with only one title at a time. Advanced Mode allows a user to work with multiple items by choosing the associated checkboxes to choose which titles to delete, transfer to a cartridge mark as read or unread, and more. Users can change to a different Mode by pressing (Ctrl+L) to toggle between the two modes, or through Preferences on the Main Menu, Section 2.29

Use the arrow keys to navigate to the bookshelf. Users can also choose options like Copy to Cartridge, for example. Sort options are available for every attribute displayed, based on your settings. Access the Column Configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

Search the list for terms and phrases using the Find search and enter the term or phrase wanted. Users can narrow their search by unchecking options, search by author, annotation, and content flags. Further, refine results by checking for Whole Words or Match All Words or Match Any Words.

Filter out books containing violence, strong language, or descriptions of sex as described above in 2.1.2.1, keeping in mind that NLS typically does not review the content of commercially acquired audio titles and marks those “Unrated.” Pressing the Reset button will add the default settings.

3.1: Accessing Titles on Your Computer

Downloaded titles are placed on the Bookshelf in the following categories: All Books and Magazines, Audio Books, Audio Magazines, Braille Books, Braille Magazines, Read and Unread items. Items are sorted by type.

To learn more information about each book or magazine on the Bookshelf, place focus on the title and select the Book Details button. The book detail screen will open and list the title, author, subject, annotation, audience notes, narrator, reading time, book number, series information, download date, format, and reading status.

Users can perform more options from this screen, such as copying it to a cartridge, marking it as read, or deleting it from your Bookshelf. See sections 3.2 Copying Materials to a Cartridge, 3.3 Deleting Titles from Your Bookshelf, and 3.5 Marking Titles as Read for more information on these actions.

3.2: Copying Materials to a Cartridge (or Other Storage Device)

Use the Copy to Cartridge Mode to scan the computer for removable devices like an NLS cartridge or USB drive. Information is displayed for each removable drive detected, including the amount of space available and how many books are on the drive.

If the Copy Mode is set to a single book, the user cannot download a new book before deleting the existing book first. If the Copy Mode is set to allow multiple books, the user will receive a list of books and uncheck to delete or retain any books wanted.

First, select a drive to start the copy process. A dialog box will display the progress, with the transfer taking approximately one minute. A new dialog box will show the progress of the transfer and give an approximate time to completion. Once complete, the user can confirm the download and eject the device.

3.3: Deleting Titles from Your Bookshelf

Use the Delete button to delete any titles from the Bookshelf. An initial dialog box will appear to confirm you want to delete an item. If correct, press the Yes button. If the user is in Advanced Mode, the checkbox to the left of the title must be checked before the deletion occurs.

3.4: Learning More about Titles on Your Bookshelf

Select a title from Bookshelf, and then select the Book Details button by using the arrow keys to navigate down to the Book Details option. The Book Detail screen displays a description of the book, the author, subject, narrator, and series information, reading time, reading status, and download date and time.

The author’s name is a link that allows users to search BARD for more books by that author. If the book is part of a series, a link will enable you to search BARD for other books in that series.

From the Book Detail screen, users can copy the book to a USB cartridge Mark as read on your bookshelf, subscribe or unsubscribe to a book series or delete it from the bookshelf.

3.5: Marking Titles as Read

Mark as read is used to provide some order in the Bookshelf. Press the Mark as read to populate the blank field with Mark and include the date and time. Once completed, the user can go back to the Bookshelf.

3.6: Sort Order

Use Sort Order with downloaded materials and sort by date, most recent to oldest or reverse order. Sort allows users to sort by the attributes preferred along with column configurations. Access the Column Configuration screen using Alt+V+C to display more or fewer attributes of each title. Pressing the Reset button will add the default settings.

3.7: Find

Use the Find search feature to secure a list of terms and phrases. Narrow the search by unchecking the box associated with search title, search author, search annotation, and search content flags. Further, refine results by searching for Whole Words or phrases. Pressing the Reset button will reset the default settings.

Player

BARD Express Media Player:
A new feature has been added to BARD Express, the Media Player, which looks and feels like the BARD Mobile app. There are nine buttons on the Media Player: Sleep Timer, Bookmark, Previous Menu, Next, Rewind, Play/Stop, Forward, Speed, and Tone.

Decide what book/magazine you want to play by arrowing to a title or highlighting it with the mouse in the bookshelf, and pressing F2 to launch the player if BARD Express is in Standard Mode. If using Advanced Mode, the book to be played must first be checked before pressing F2 In order to launch the Player.

For instance, after choosing a book/magazine, press F2 to launch the Player. When finished reading, press Alt+4 or double-click the Close button to close the screen and return to the bookshelf.

Along with the Audio Settings in the Player Menu, there are several additional options. Users can set their preference for default speed, default tone, automatically Start Playback when the player is launched, and a control to adjust an auto-rewind from zero to thirty seconds from the point of where the media is stopped. Click “restore” to return the audio settings to their default setting.

Recently Read button

Access the Recently Read list by pressing the letter E, which will move focus to the Recently Read button. Once completed, the user can press Enter or click on the icon. A list of a maximum of five titles that have been previously opened and are still on the PC computer will present.

Pressing the letter W will cause the screen reader to speak the following “Where am I” information:

• Section of the book/magazine such as: “Chapter 2”
• Time remaining
• Total time
• Current position shown in percent, for example 49%

Next Navigation Point

Jump to the next navigation point at the current navigational level by pressing the letter N.

Fast Forward Navigation Point

Jump by 5 navigational points at the current navigational level by pressing and holding the letter N. Continuing to hold the letter N will cause the player to jump 5 navigational points at a time until the letter N is released. For each lot of 5 navigational points jumped, the screen reader will say: “5 chapters,” “10 chapters,” and so-on. Book navigation is silenced during this operation.

Previous Navigation Point

Jump to the previous navigation point at the current navigational level by pressing the letter P.

Rewind Navigation Point

Rewind by 5 navigational points at the current navigational level by pressing and holding the letter P. Continuing to hold the letter P will cause the player to rewind 5 navigational points at a time until the letter P is released.

For each lot of 5 navigational points rewound, the screen reader will say (for example, “5 chapters,” “10 chapters,” and so-on. Book navigation is silenced during this operation.

Next level of Navigation

Choose the next lower level of navigation by pressing the letter M. Each time the letter M is typed, the player will jump to the next lower level of navigation. If there is no longer a lower navigational level, the user will be returned to the highest navigational level.

NOTE: Bookmarks are the lowest level of navigation.

Sleep Timer

To use the Sleep Timer, tap the letter Z to move the focus to the Sleep icon. Press Enter or click the icon. Use the up and down arrows to determine the amount of time you want the Sleep Timer to play, then press the Enter button. To begin playback, press the Space Bar. The Sleep Timer will play the selected item, with the sound decreasing ten seconds before the Sleep Timer elapses and playback stops. Press the Escape key at any time to cancel the Sleep Timer.

Bookmark

Creating a bookmark:

Create a bookmark by typing the letter B while in a book/magazine to move focus to the Bookmark icon. Next, press Enter or click the icon. Typing the letter A will open a menu to allow users to name the bookmark. Finally, press Enter or click the Ok button to create the bookmark.

Deleting a bookmark:

Delete a bookmark by pressing the letter B while in a book or magazine to move focus to the Bookmark icon. Next, press Enter or click the icon. Note: If the user has navigated to a specific bookmark in the player, the bookmark will have focus in the list of bookmarks. If you want to delete a different bookmark, use the arrow keys to highlight that bookmark. Finally, use the standard Windows keys by pressing the Delete button on the bookmark, pressing the Delete button or Ctrl+D, or right-click and choose Delete.

Edit A Bookmark:

Edit the name of a bookmark by typing the letter B while in a book/magazine to move the focus to the Bookmark icon. Next, press Enter or click on the icon. Note: If the user has navigated to a specific bookmark in the player, the bookmark will have focus in the list of bookmarks. If you want to delete a different bookmark, use the arrow keys to highlight that bookmark. Next, use the arrow keys to highlight a bookmark in the list. Finally, use the standard Windows functions, F2, or right-click and choose Edit, change the bookmark's name, and press Enter or click the Ok button to save these changes.

Section 4: Wish List

Use your Wish List to store items you want to read or listen to but have not downloaded.

Titles in this screen are displayed in either Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard allows you to work with only one title, while Advanced Mode allows you to work with multiple items at a time. You can change modes in preferences anytime or press (Ctrl+L) to toggle between the Modes while in a list of titles.

Buttons appear at the bottom of this screen to perform various actions on selected titles including Download, Book Details, Sort Order, and Remove from Wish List. Sort is available for each attribute displayed, based on your settings. Access the Column Configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

4.1 Downloading Titles from the Wish List

Titles in your wish list are downloaded to your computer by first highlighting the title you wish to download, then selecting the Download button. Standard Mode allows you to work with only one title, while Advanced Mode will enable you to select multiple items. Once completed, all downloads appear in the Bookshelf.

4.2 Learning More about Titles on Your Wish List

Navigate to a title in the Wish List and then select the Book Details button by using the tab key to move to the Book Details button. Alternatively, simply press Enter or click on the title to display a description of the book, along with the author, subject, narrator, series information (if applicable), and reading time. The author’s name is a link that lets you search BARD for more books by that author. If the book is part of a series, there will be a link that says the series name. Click on that link to see the rest of the books in the series.

From the Book Detail screen, you can choose to download or remove titles from the Wish List. You can also subscribe if your book is part of a series or a periodical item. See Section 2.1.2.1 Subscriptions for details.

4.3 Removing Titles from Your Wish List

Use this feature for removing titles from the Wish List. If using Standard Mode, press the Remove from Wish List button, and a message will appear to confirm. Press the Yes button to confirm. Using the Advanced Mode, the user will receive an identical message and press the checkbox to confirm your selection.

Section 5: Browsing the BARD Collection

The Main Menu offers five options for browsing the BARD collection: Recently Added Books and Magazines, Most Popular Books, Browse by Subject, Browse by Series, and Browse Magazines.

5.1: Recently Added Books and Magazines

Recently Added Books and Magazines list the latest titles added to BARD. Titles in this screen can be displayed in two ways: Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced Mode will enable users to select multiple items.

Use the tab key to navigate toward the bottom of the screen to complete actions on selected titles, including Adding to Wish List, Download, Book Details, and Sort Order. More options are available, including options for each attribute, based on your settings.

Recently Added Books and Magazines are displayed on multiple pages, which can be navigated using the Previous and Next buttons.

Titles can be displayed in two ways: Standard and Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced Mode allows for selecting multiple items.

The filter search provides results in a list format. Users can filter by type to select Books and Magazines or Music or filter by fiction and nonfiction by choosing the appropriate Radio button under the heading subject categories.

Search the list for words or phrases by selecting the Find search feature and using the search field to refine results by adding whole words or matching all words or matching any phrase. Filter out books containing violence, strong language, or descriptions of sex as described in Section 2.1.2.1, keeping in mind that NLS typically does not review the content of commercially acquired audio titles and marks those “Unrated.” Selecting the Reset button will restore the default settings.

5.2: Most Popular Books

The Most Popular Books screen consists of books that users have downloaded most frequently from BARD in the last 30 days. Titles in this screen are displayed two ways, Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title, at a time, while Advanced Mode allows users to select multiple items.

Use the tab key to navigate to additional options for various actions on selected titles, including the Wish list, Download, Book Details, Subscribe (available for series and magazines), and Sort Order. Sort options are available for each attribute displayed, based on your settings. Access the Column Configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

BARD Express will load 100 items at a time by default. This can be increased or decreased by opening the View Menu with (Alt+V) or clicking on the View Menu, then opening the Items Per Page submenu and selecting one of the choices.

The Most Popular Books list is displayed on multiple pages, which can be navigated by using the Previous and Next buttons.

The filter search will list all available subjects with each checkbox. Initially, all subjects are checked, and users can use the Reset button to return to the default settings at any time. Additionally, users can filter by type by selecting Books and Magazines or Music or by fiction and nonfiction by choosing the appropriate Radio button under the heading Subject categories.

Search the list for Whole Words or phrases by selecting the Find search field and entering the term or phrase. Depending on what a user is trying to find, users can narrow their search by unchecking the box associated with Search Title, Author, Annotation, and Content Flags. Further, refine results by checking the box labeled Whole Words and selecting either Match All Words or Match Any Words.

5.3: Browse by Subject

The Browse by Subject screen presents a list of all the subject categories in which books appear. It allows access all the books on a particular subject. Use the screen by scrolling down the list of topics and either double-click or press Enter on the topic of interest. BARD Express will then search for books on that subject and present them in a list format.

To find a subject, go to the subject list and use first letter navigation to quickly move to a specific topic. Alternatively, users can type some characters into the filter search to narrow down the list and make it easier to find a particular subject.

When the desired subject is found, press Enter or double-click on it. A new page will load containing all the available books.

Titles on this screen are displayed in one of two ways, either Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced Mode allows users to select multiple items using the associated checkboxes to transfer titles to a cartridge, delete, or mark as read or unread at once. Standard or Advanced Modes can be updated in preferences or press Ctrl+L to toggle between the Modes while in a list of titles.

Buttons appear at the bottom of this screen to perform various actions on selected titles, including Add to Wish List, Download, Book Details, Subscribe (available for series and magazines), and Sort Order. Sort options are available for each attribute displayed, based on the user’s settings. Access the column configuration screen using Alt+V+C to display more or fewer attributes of each title.

Search the list for terms and phrases by selecting the Find search feature and entering the word or phrase to find. Depending on what users are trying to find, users can narrow your search by unchecking the box associated with Search Title, Author, Annotation, and Content Flags. Further, refine results by checking the box labeled Whole Words and then selecting either Match All Words or Match Any Words

Filter out books containing violence, strong language, or descriptions of sex as described above in 2.1.2.1, keeping in mind that NLS typically does not review the content of commercially acquired audio titles and marks those “Unrated.” The Reset button will restore the default settings.

5.4: Browse by Series

The Browse by Series screen presents a list of all the book series on BARD, also indicating if there is an active subscription to a series.

To use this screen, scroll down the list of series and either double-click or press Enter on the series you are interested in.

Go to the series list and use first letter navigation to quickly move to a specific sequence to find a particular series. Alternatively, you can type some characters into the filter search to narrow down the list and make it easier to find a specific sequence.

When you find the desired series, press Enter or double-click on it, a new page will load containing all the available books in that series.

Titles in this screen can be displayed in two ways: Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced Mode allows users to select multiple items using the associated checkboxes to transfer titles to a cartridge, delete, or mark as read or unread at once.

Use the tab key to navigate to more options located at the bottom of this screen to perform various actions on selected titles, including Add to Wish List, Download, Book Details, Subscribe, and Sort Order. Sort is available for each attribute displayed, based on the settings. Access the column configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

Search the list for whole words or phrases by selecting the Find search feature and entering the term or phrase. The Reset button will restore the default settings.

5.5: Browse Magazines

Browse Magazines presents a list of all the magazines on BARD and all the issues available for a particular magazine, also indicating if there is an active subscription to a magazine. To use this screen, scroll down the list of magazines and either double click or press Enter.

To find a particular magazine, go to the magazine list and use first letter navigation to move to a specific magazine quickly. Alternatively, users can type some characters into the filter search to narrow down the list and make it easier to find a particular magazine. Alternatively, users can type some characters into the filter search to narrow the list.

When the desired magazine is found, press Enter or double-click on it, a new page will load containing all the available issues of that magazine.

Titles in this screen can be displayed in two ways: Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced allows multiple items using the associated checkboxes to transfer titles to a cartridge, delete, or mark as read or unread at once.

Use the tab key to access more options at the bottom of this screen to perform various actions on selected titles, including Add to Wish List, Download, Book Details, Subscribe, and Sort Order. Sort each attribute displayed based on the user’s settings. Access the column configuration screen using Alt+V+C to show more or fewer attributes of each title.

Section 6: Searching the BARD Collection

The Main Menu offers one option for searching the BARD collection: Search BARD.

The Search screen lets you search for books on BARD by keyword, author, book number, or title. If by keyword is selected, enter the search words in the search box, separated by spaces. Multiple terms can be grouped into a phrase by double-quotes.

If By Book Number is selected, type the prefix followed by the book number, without a space between the prefix and the number. Note: the following audio prefixes, including DB, DBC, DBE, DBF, DBM, and DBN, and braille prefixes including BR, BRC, BRE, BRM, and BRA, are recognized.

If By Author Beginning With is selected, enter the first letter or letters of an author's last name. For example, entering the letter B into the search filed returns all books whose author's last name begins with B. Typing CR returns all books whose last name starts with CR.

If By Title Beginning With is selected, enter the first word or words of a book's title. For example, to search for Charlotte's Web's title, users would type "Charlotte's" in the box. The prepositions "A," "An," and "The" that may occur at the beginning of a title are not included in search terms. So, search for The Right Stuff by typing "Right" in the box.

Once the desired search parameters are entered, the results will appear in list order based on the search criteria.

BARD Express will load 100 items at a time by default. This can be increased or decreased by opening the View Menu with (Alt+V) or clicking on the View Menu, then opening the Items Per Page submenu and selecting one of the choices.

The Search BARD results are shown in multiple pages, with navigation using the Previous and Next buttons.

Titles are displayed in one of two ways: Standard or Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time, while Advanced Mode will select multiple items using the associated checkboxes to transfer titles to a cartridge, delete, or mark as read or unread at once.

Searching BARD lets users filter the results by subject. The filter search presents results in a list format. Additionally, users can filter by Type by Selecting Books and Magazines or Music from the drop-down list and filter by Category for fiction or nonfiction, selecting the Enter button under the heading subject.

Use the tab key to navigate to options toward the bottom of the screen to perform various actions including Add to Wish List, Download, Book Details, and Sort Order. Sort for each attribute displayed, based on the user’s settings. Access the column configuration screen using Alt+V+C to increase or decrease the characteristics of each title.

Search the list for words or phrases by selecting the Find search field to find whole words or phrases you want to see. Depending on what a user is trying to find, a user can narrow your search by unchecking the box associated with Search Title, Author, Annotation, and Content Flags. Further, refine results by checking the box labeled whole words and then selecting either match all words or match any words.

Filter out books containing violence, strong language, or descriptions of sex as described above in 2.1.2.1, keeping in mind that NLS typically does not review the content of commercially acquired audio titles and marks those “Unrated.” Selecting the Reset button will restore the default settings.

Section 7: Player

The BARD Express Player allows audio books to be played directly within the BARD Express application.

7.1 Start Listening

When BARD Express is set to Standard Mode, select which book will be played by arrowing to the selection in the bookshelf and pressing F2. Alternatively, highlight the selection with the mouse and press the F2 key to launch the player. If BARD Express is set to Advanced Mode, a title must first be checked before pressing F2 to launch the player.

The user will not be able to interact with the main menus of BARD Express until the player is closed with Alt+F4 or by double-clicking close on the screen.

7.2: Player Menu

While the player is open, there is a Player menu under a standard menu bar. The keyboard command for this menu is Alt+P.

Audio Settings is an option under the Player Menu. Selecting this command opens a dialog with the following options: Set default speed, Set default tone, Automatically Start Playback, yes or no, a control to adjust the auto-rewind amount of time from zero to thirty seconds, and Restore defaults.

Change the Default Speed using the up and down arrow keys to select a rate between 50% to 300% and increasing by 12.5%, with 100% being the default setting.

Change the Default Tone using the up and down arrows. The options available are Minimum, -3, -2, -1, Normal, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, and Maximum.

Use the up and down arrows to set the Automatic Rewind option to set your default amount to rewind after stopping the book. Choose how long a book/magazine rewinds from 5 to 30 seconds in five-second intervals when you resume playback of the same title. The default is set at zero seconds.

The Restore Defaults option is used to restore all settings to their original default settings.

7.3: Navigation

The Navigation feature allows quick navigation to user-specified locations within a book or magazine.

Typing the letter A will move the focus to the Navigation screen. Pressing the Enter key will open the Navigation menu. Mouse users can open this menu by clicking on the icon.

A menu will extend the drop-down menu showing the first navigation level and each navigation point. Note: If any additional levels of navigation are available, the item will display as a submenu that displays other options for navigation using a right arrow.

Pressing Enter or clicking on the navigation point will open the player interface. The book will begin playing from the selected navigation point if the Automatically Start Playback setting is set to Yes.

When the letter W is pressed, the screen reader will provide the Where Am I information for the book/magazine, such as Chapter 2, time remaining, and total time and the current position shown in percent, such as 49%.

Jump to the next navigation point at the current navigational level by typing the letter N. If a book/magazine is playing while using the letter N, narration will resume after letting go of the letter N. If the book/magazine is not playing when using the letter N, narration will not start after letting go of the letter N.

Type and hold the letter N to fast forward by five navigation points at the current navigational level. Continuing the hold, the letter N will jump five navigation points until the letter N is released. Each lot of 5 navigation points jumped, screen readers, will say, five chapters, ten chapters", and so on, using chapters as an example of a current level of navigation. Book narration is silenced during this operation.

Jump to the Previous navigation point at the current navigational level by typing the letter P. If a book/magazine is playing while using the letter P, narration will resume after releasing the letter P. If the book/magazine is not playing when using the letter P, narration will not start after letting go of the letter P.

Type and hold the letter P to rewind by five navigation points at the current navigational level. Continuing the hold, the letter P will rewind five navigation points until the letter P is released. Each lot of 5 navigation point jumped, screen readers will say, “five chapters”, “ten chapters", and so on, using chapters as an example of a current level of navigation. Book narration is silenced during this operation.

Type the letter M to change the level of navigation. Each time the letter M is typed, the player will switch to the next lower level of navigation. If there is no longer a lower navigational level, typing the letter M will return to the highest navigation level. Bookmarks are the lowest level of navigation.

7.4 Bookmarks

Bookmarks allow the user to mark a location in a book or magazine.

How to create a bookmark:

1. Type the letter b while in a book/magazine to navigate to the Bookmark icon.
2. Press Enter or click on the Bookmarks menu.
3. Type the letter A, then type the name of the new bookmark.
4. Press Enter or click the Ok button to create the bookmark.
5. Focus will return to the main player interface.

How to delete a bookmark:

1. Type the letter B while in a book/magazine to navigate to the Bookmark icon.
2. Press Enter or click the icon to open the list of created bookmarks.
3. Use up and down arrows to highlight a bookmark in the list.
4. Use the standard Windows keys to delete the bookmark. (Delete key, Ctrl+D, or right-click and choose Delete) The focus will remain on the bookmark list. Press the Escape key to exit the bookmark list and return to the main player interface.

How to edit the name of a bookmark:

1. Type the letter B while in a book/magazine to navigate to the Bookmark icon.
2. Press Enter or click the icon to open the Bookmarks menu.
3. Use up and down arrows to highlight a bookmark in the list.
4. Use standard Windows functions to edit its name (F2, or right-click and choose Edit) and press Enter or click Ok button to save the changes. Focus will remain on the bookmark list. Press the Escape key to exit the bookmark list and return to the main player interface.

7.5: Sleep Timer

The sleep timer is used to stop playback after a specified amount of time.

Use the Sleep function by following these steps:

1. Tap the letter Z to navigate to the Sleep icon.
2. Press Enter or click on the icon.
3. Use the up and down arrows to highlight an amount of time.
4. Press Enter or click on the highlighted choice.
5. Press the Spacebar to begin playback.
6. Ten seconds before the Sleep time elapses, the volume will begin fading out, and playback will stop. Pressing the Escape key at any time will cancel the Sleep Timer.

7.6: Adjusting Speed

Increase and decrease playback speed by following these steps:

1. Tap the letter S to navigate to the Speed icon.
2. Press Enter or click on the icon.
3. Use up and down arrows to highlight an interval of how much you want the audio to speed up or slow down. Choices are between 50 and 300 percent in increments of 12.5 percent.
4. Press Enter or click the Okay button to finalize the choice.
5. Press the spacebar or click the Play button to begin playback.

7.7: Adjusting Tone

Increase and decrease playback tone by following these steps:

1. Tap the letter T to navigate to the Tone icon.
2. Press enter or click the icon.
3. Use up and down arrows to highlight an interval of how much you want the tone to increase or decrease. Values range from negative 4 and positive 6. Adjusting this setting upward increases the treble and decreases the bass in increments of one. Adjusting the setting downward decreases the treble and increases the bass by the same increment.
4. Press Enter or click Okay to finalize the choice.
5. Press the spacebar or click the Play button to begin playback.

7.8: Recently Read

Access the Recently Read list by following these steps:

1. Type the letter E to navigate to the Recently Read icon
2. Press Enter or click the icon.
3. A list of a maximum of 5 titles that have previously been opened and are still on the PC will present.
4. Press Enter or click on any of the titles, reading will resume at the point the playback was stopped.

7.9 Fast Forward

During fast-forward, the player provides audible feedback reflecting time traversed.

With the letter F pressed and held, narration will be silenced, and media will jump by 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. Continuing to hold the letter F, media will just by 1-hour intervals until the letter F is released or media reaches end of the book.

Any time the book/magazine crosses a navigation point consistent with the current navigation level, BARD Express will emit a short tone. For example, if the current navigation level is Chapters, the tone will sound each time a book crosses the next chapter.

7.10 Rewind

During Rewind, the player provides audible feedback reflecting time traversed.

With the letter R pressed and held, narration will be silenced, and media will rewind by intervals of 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. Continuing to hold the letter R, media will just by 1-hour intervals until the letter R is released or media reaches beginning of book.

Any time the book/magazine crosses a navigation point consistent with the current navigation level, BARD Express will emit a short tone. For example, if the current navigation level is Chapters, the tone will sound each time a book crosses the next chapter.

Section 8: Preferences

The BARD Express Preferences allow users to select their display, copy, sound, and save location preferences.

8.1: Format

There are three choices for format preferences: Audio and Braille, Audio, or Braille. Select the desired format from the drop-down list labeled format to designate the format to display in the search and browse pages.

8.2: Cartridge Copy Mode

There are two Cartridge Copy Mode Settings: Limit One Book on a Cartridge or USB Device or Allow Multiple Books on Cartridges and Devices.

Limit One Book on a Cartridge or USB Device: With this option selected, all existing books on an external storage device are deleted when users copy a new title onto the device. BARD Express will not copy another book onto the device if users do not agree to delete the title already on the device.

Allow Multiple Books on Cartridges and Devices:

With this option selected, when you copy a book onto an external storage device, the program allows you to leave existing books on the device or delete them.

8.3: Display Mode

There are two display modes: Standard and Advanced Mode. Standard Mode allows users to work with only one title at a time.

Advanced Mode allows users to select multiple items using the associated checkbox to transfer to a cartridge, Add to the Wish List, Download, or Sort Order.

8.4: Status Sounds

There are two settings for status sounds: Play Status Sound On and Play Status Sound Off. When status sounds are set to On, BARD Express will sound a series of status beeps whenever pages take longer than 10 seconds to load to let users know it is working. BARD Express will make no sound during long loading times when status sounds are set to Off.

8.5: Result Message Display Time

When BARD Express searches for books, a small "wait" window is displayed. When the search completes, another window indicates the search is complete. This setting determines the length of time that window is displayed. When set to the minimum value, it will not be displayed; the list of results is shown. When set to the maximum value, the window will not close by itself; users must click on the Close button. When the value is set between minimum and maximum, the window indicating the search is complete displays for one to ten seconds.

8.6: Bookshelf Location

The directory where a user’s BARD Books and Magazines are kept—the bookshelf—is a subfolder within the main Documents folder called BARD. The Preferences screen will display the exact directory location. Most users will not need to change this directory location, but there are a few cases where someone might want to change. Users might want to change the directory if they have multiple hard drives and have more available space on a particular drive. If a user has previously downloaded BARD books and they are stored on the computer, they can move their bookshelf directory to that location, and BARD Express will then be able to access the books.

The bookshelf directory is an Edit field in which users can type. S elect the Choose a Different Directory button to use a Windows Explorer window to browse to a new directory. (Windows Explorer is the program for browsing through the files on a computer and connected devices.) The button View Directory Location in Windows Explorer launches a Windows Explorer window showing the bookshelf location, but it does not change the setting.

Users can import previously downloaded books into BARD Express in a couple of different ways. One way is to use Windows Explorer to drag the zipped files into the BARD Express window. BARD Express will copy the files to the Bookshelf location. It will not remove or delete the files from their original site. Another way is to drag files to the bookshelf using Windows Explorer. In this case, restart BARD Express to recognize the new books.

Section 9: Managing Devices

Manage Devices displays a list of removable storage devices, such as an NLS cartridge or USB flash drive, connected to a computer and shows the number of books on each device.

9.1: Identifying Devices

BARD Express watches for removable drive changes, so users can plug and unplug devices while the program is running.

Choosing a device presents a list that lets users know how much space is being used on that device and how much space is still available. If there are any books on the device, they are presented in a list. Select one or more of the associated checkboxes to let BARD Express check the book contents to ensure each book has all the files it needs to play. If a file is missing or corrupt, the audio will not play. Though this operation can be used as a troubleshooting tool, it is not necessary to perform it before playing a book or magazine.

9.2: Device Contents

Device Contents shows books and magazines on a cartridge or USB flash drive. Use this function by opening Manage Devices from the Main Menu, then selecting a drive on the Device List screen.

Users may select the Validate Books button to start a process that validates all the data files for each book. A progress dialog is shown.

If the validation process dialog has not been closed, a dialog will appear when the process completes. This dialog summarizes the validation results, providing a count of valid books and a list of invalid books, with details about the flaws of the latter. Possible defects are missing files and corrupt files.

Selecting the Validate Books button either re-displays the progress dialog if the validation process is still running or displays the summary dialog if validation is complete.

Some books contain information validated on a stand-alone basis, but some do not. The book must exist on a user’s bookshelf to be validated in the latter case. The summary will convey this information if that is the case.

Users can verify that the books on their cartridge have been validated by selecting the Report button. A dialog box will open if the book has been validated and confirm the book files are valid. If the book has not been validated, selecting the Report button will notify the reader the book needs to be validated. This screen has a Delete button, allowing individual books to be deleted.

This screen also has an Eject Drive button, which disconnects the device from your computer.

Section 10: Download Status

The Downloads screen presents information on the status of all current downloads. This screen is helpful when downloading more than one item at a time. When downloading titles, the screen will display the number of books waiting to download, the title of the book currently being downloaded, and the completion percentage of the current book.

Last updated: August 2024
Version 3.0

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