
NLS uses publisher-provided book descriptions for most new titles. These descriptions give patrons insight into book content, making it easier to identify titles of interest. These descriptions appear in the NLS Catalog, on BARD, and in NLS publications as "Provided by publisher" and are taken verbatim from the publisher.
Talking Book Topics (TBT) lists a selection of audio titles recently added to the NLS collection and available through a network of cooperating libraries or the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service. It also carries news of developments in services to people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials. NLS publishes TBT bimonthly in digital audio and HTML (current and back issues below), as well as PDFs in large-print formats, which include order forms for mailing (current and back issues below), and as a digital talking book (DB).
Increasingly, NLS patrons are accessing TBT through downloadable audio files through their subscription to BARD. An abridged TBT section found in Braille Book Review comes in hard-copy braille with a hard-copy braille order form. Patrons can also contact their network library about subscribing through the NLS magazine-on-cartridge program or having the TBT talking book mailed on cartridge. Additionally, as a publication offered by NFB-NEWSLINE, TBT can be accessed via landline phones; please visit https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-newsline or call 866-504-7300 for more information on accessing TBT through NFB-NEWSLINE.
To search the hundreds of thousands of books available in the NLS collection, search the NLS Catalog.
Books listed in the HTML version of TBT link to BARD pages from which books can be saved to a computer for playing on a talking-book machine or can be saved to the BARD wish list for downloading on the BARD Mobile app. The free BARD Mobile app is available from the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon's Appstore for reading talking books on your personal smartphone or tablet. For more information about BARD service, contact your local cooperating library. To find your library online, go to www.loc.gov/nls/find-your-library.
Current Issue
Other links for TBT July-August will be available in August
Issues for 2025
May-June 2025 HTML
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Books [100 pages]
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [1 page]
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Books [15 pages]
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - French and Spanish Order Form [1 page]
May-June 2025 Printable PDF - French and Spanish Books [5 pages]
May-June 2025 PDF [144 pages]
May-June 2025 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
May-June 2025 will soon be available as a talking book on BARD
March-April 2025 HTML
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Books [78 pages]
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 pages]
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Books [13 pages]
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
March-April 2025 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
March-April 2025 PDF [120 pages]
March-April 2025 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
March-April 2025 is available as a talking book (DB127962) on BARD
January-February 2025 HTML
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Adult Books [81 pages]
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [1 pages]
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Children's Books [13 pages]
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 pages]
January-February 2025 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [4 pages]
January-February 2025 PDF [120 pages]
January-February 2025 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
January-February 2025 is available as a talking book (DB126653) on BARD
Issues for 2024
November-December 2024 HTML
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [71 pages]
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 pages]
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [16 pages]
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [2 pages]
November-December 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
November-December 2024 PDF [116 pages]
November-December 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
November-December 2024 is available as a talking book (DB125580) on BARD
September-October 2024 HTML
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [86 pages]
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 page]
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [12 pages]
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
September-October 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
September-October 2024 PDF [126 pages]
September-October 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
September-October 2024 is available as a talking book (DB124250) on BARD
July-August 2024 HTML
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [104 pages]
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 page]
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [15 pages]
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
July-August 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
July-August 2024 PDF [144 pages]
July-August 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
July-August 2024 is available as a talking book (DB122796) on BARD
May-June 2024 HTML
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [3 pages]
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [86 pages]
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 page]
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [16 pages]
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
May-June 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
May-June 2024 PDF [128 pages]
May-June 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
May-June 2024 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
March-April 2024 HTML
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [94 pages]
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 page]
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [11 pages]
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
March-April 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [4 pages]
March-April 2024 PDF [132 pages]
March-April 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
March-April 2024 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
January-February 2024 HTML
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Adult Books [92 pages]
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [1 page]
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Children's Books [6 pages]
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
January-February 2024 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [4 pages]
January-February 2024 PDF [160 pages]
January-February 2024 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
January-February 2024 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
Issues for 2023
November-December 2023 HTML
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [7 pages]
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [120 pages]
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 page]
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [11 pages]
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
November-December 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
November-December 2023 PDF [160 pages]
November-December 2023 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
November-December 2023 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
September-October 2023 HTML
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [3 pages]
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [70 pages]
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [1 page]
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [10 pages]
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
September-October 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [3 pages]
September-October 2023 PDF [108 pages]
September-October 2023 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
September-October 2023 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
July-August 2023 HTML
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [76 pages]
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [1 page]
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [8 pages]
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
July-August 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
July-August 2023 PDF [112 pages]
July-August 2023 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
July-August 2023 is available as a talking book (DB) on BARD
May-June 2023 HTML
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [93 pages]
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 pages]
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [4 pages]
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
May-June 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [5 pages]
May-June 2023 PDF [126 pages]
May-June 2023 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
May-June 2023 is also available as DB114248
March-April 2023 HTML
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [92 pages]
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 pages]
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [18 pages]
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
March-April 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [6 pages]
March-April 2023 PDF [140 pages]
March-April 2023 is available as an audio magazine on BARD
March-April 2023 is also available as DB112939
January-February 2023 HTML
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Order Form [4 pages]
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Adult Books [44 pages]
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Order Form [2 pages]
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Children's Books [12 pages]
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Order Form [1 page]
January-February 2023 Printable PDF - Spanish Books [4 pages]
January-February 2023 PDF [80 pages]
January-February 2023 is also available as an audio magazine on BARD
January-February 2023 is available as DB111975
Other Book Lists
Braille Book Review (BBR) lists newly added braille books and magazines. Like Talking Book Topics, BBR is a bimonthly magazine that highlights most of the latest braille books added to the NLS collection and is available in a variety of formats. Minibibliographies are also available on narrow topics. NLS has dozens of curated book lists of titles, in audio and in braille, on a wide variety of topics: The Beatles, financial planning, Rosa Parks, container gardening, Native American stories, popular book series, and many more. Also check out Collections Connection, an e-newsletter, on a variety of themes, such as National Holidays or Nation Book Festival Authors.