Version 1.3.1

Section 1: Welcome

Welcome to the BARD Mobile application user guide. This handbook will guide you through the various features of BARD Mobile, an application that allows you to download and read books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress, Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) website using your Android device. A separate user guide is available for BARD Mobile users who have iOS devices.

1.1: Access to BARD

Use of BARD Mobile is restricted to eligible NLS patrons who have a BARD account. If you are not currently a patron of NLS, please read about the NLS eligibility requirements and learn about signing up for service.

This version of BARD Mobile will run on a phone or tablet operated by Android 7 or later. Connectivity from a wireless carrier or a Wi-Fi provider is required to download material from BARD.

1.2: Operating BARD Mobile

Android devices have pre-installed accessibility features that make BARD Mobile accessible to visually impaired individuals. These features, such as TalkBack and magnification gestures, help you better navigate your device and BARD Mobile.

TalkBack is a screen reader for blind and visually impaired users. It is provided by Google and uses spoken feedback to describe the results of gestures-what you touch, select, and activate. Some Android devices offer screen readers other than TalkBack. This user guide covers the operation of BARD Mobile with the use of TalkBack; however, BARD Mobile was designed to work well with any screen reader.

Gestures used to operate BARD Mobile using TalkBack are different from the gestures used to operate BARD Mobile without it. They are based on the Explore by Touch system. For example, slowly drag one finger around the screen to move focus. As you explore the device in this manner, TalkBack will announce the buttons and icons you pass and where focus is fixed. To select the focused item, double-tap on the screen. You can also simply swipe left or right to focus on a particular item and hear what icons and buttons are on the screen.

Explore by Touch is automatically enabled when TalkBack is turned on and, unless otherwise noted in this guide, standard TalkBack gestures should be applied if you use TalkBack to interact with BARD Mobile.

Magnification gestures is an accessibility feature that allows you to temporarily magnify what is on your screen. This feature is turned on through your device's accessibility settings. It will not affect gestures used to operate BARD Mobile and works with TalkBack.

Along with TalkBack and magnification gestures, your Android device may have additional accessibility features and options to select. Please refer to your device user guide, or visit the Android Accessibility Help page.

To activate TalkBack or magnification gestures on your device, go to Settings>Accessibility.

1.3: BARD Login

At the initial launch of the application, TalkBack will announce "BARD Mobile. BARD Mobile sign-on page." On this page you are required to enter your BARD username and password and agree to the BARD Mobile terms of service. You cannot use BARD Mobile unless you consent to the terms of service.

Enter your username in the username text field following the BARD Mobile sign-on page heading. For TalkBack users, focus is fixed in this text field. After entering your username, enter your password in the password text field that directly follows.

You can allow your password to be shown by selecting the show password checkbox, which is directly before the password text field. It is important to note, however, that on some devices, the keys of the keyboard will repeat the word "dot" for each letter, unless headphones are used.

After entering your BARD username and password, swipe to select the Accept Terms of Service checkbox.

Select the Login button to initialize the app or the Cancel button to close the app.

BARD Mobile will remember your username and password. Unless you change them through the BARD website, you should only have to provide this information once.

BARD Mobile will also ask you to select a storage location. In most cases you should choose the default location given. If you select another location you will not be able to change it without losing all the materials you have already downloaded.

You are now ready to download books to your Android device.

Section 2: Getting Started

BARD Mobile includes a variety of features and functions to help you get the most out of the app. This section provides an overview those features to get you started.

2.1: Heading and Navigation Bar

Each screen of BARD Mobile has a heading. It is on the navigation bar located at the top of the screen, directly below the device status bar, which displays the time and information about your device, such as the battery life. The heading tells you which screen or content you are managing.

Depending on where you are in the application, you can select the heading, which is located on the upper-left corner, to move back to the previous screen. TalkBack will announce your current location, followed by "navigate up" to signify the ability to move back to the previous screen. However, TalkBack will announce "navigate home" when you have reached the heading of one of three main screens from which you cannot navigate back further. You can access these screens through the tab bar.

2.2: Tab Bar

The tab bar is located directly below the heading and contains the tabs that represent the three main screens of the application. These tabs are labeled Bookshelf, Get Books, and Now Reading.

The tab bar is not displayed when you enter the categories located within Get Books. To learn more about Get Books, see Section 2.2.2.

2.2.1: Bookshelf

All the audio titles that you have downloaded to your device are listed in Bookshelf, the first tab on the tab bar. These titles are organized into two folders: Audio Books and Audio Magazines.

Books that you have downloaded, including music materials and foreign-language audio titles, will be listed in the Audio Books folder, while audio magazines that you have downloaded will be listed in the Audio Magazines folder.

2.2.2: Get Books

When you log in to the app for the first time, you will begin in Get Books, which is the second tab on the tab bar directly following the Bookshelf tab. It allows you to access material on BARD and browse recently added audio books and magazines and most-popular audiobooks. Items in these categories, as well as those on your wish list and previous downloads list, can be downloaded directly to your device.

In Get Books, you can also visit the BARD website to add titles to your wish list. Books on your wish list in BARD appear on your wish list in Get Books.

2.2.3: Now Reading

The Now Reading tab is the third tab on the tab bar. If you select this tab with no book or magazine selected to read, TalkBack will announce "no book is currently selected to play," and you will be asked to select a book from Bookshelf.

The Now Reading screen for audiobooks and magazines is oriented similarly to the NLS digital talking-book player. Buttons used on the application resemble the buttons on the player, with a few exceptions.

2.3 Settings and Help

BARD Mobile Settings are accessed through the soft menu or More Options button on your device. Through Settings, you can manage your audio and display preferences, reset the BARD Mobile application, and access your device's accessibility settings.

See Section 6 to learn more about BARD Mobile settings.

Information and tips about the layout of each tab-Bookshelf, Get Books, and Now Reading-are accessed through the soft menu or More Options button. To obtain help on a specific tab, and learn ways to better navigate that tab, select the tab, the More Options button, and then activate the Help button.

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Figure 1: The Get Books Help screen

Section 3: Bookshelf

Bookshelf, the first tab on the tab bar near the top of the screen and located directly after the heading, is used to manage all the titles available on your device that have been downloaded from BARD. Three categories are available in the Bookshelf: Audio Books, Audio Magazines, and User Guide. Each category title will be followed by the number of items on your bookshelf in that category.

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Figure 2: The Bookshelf tab in BARD Mobile

3.1: Accessing, Sorting, and Getting Book or Magazine Details on Your Device

Downloaded titles will be in one of two folders listed in Bookshelf. These folders are Audio Books and Audio Magazines.

By default, books and magazines are listed in the order they are downloaded, with the most recent titles listed first. However, if you prefer, books can also be listed -or sorted- alphabetically by title, alphabetically by the author's last name, or by the date of recent activity. Magazines can be sorted alphabetically by title or by the date of recent activity. To change the listing order, select the soft menu or More Options button on your device while in the folder you would like to reorder. Then, select the Sort button from the menu. It is the first button listed.

A Sort By dialog box will appear, and TalkBack will announce "Alert. Sort by." Reorder the material based on your preference. Then select OK to accept the changes, or Cancel to return to the folder.

To learn more about each title while in the Audio Books or Audio Magazines folder, tap and hold on the title with one finger. A Book Details page will open for the corresponding title. When the Book Details page opens, TalkBack will announce "book details."

The Book Details page will list -if applicable to the book or magazine selected- the title, author, narrator, total time, book number, and annotation. Directly below the annotation is a Read Now button. Select this button if you wish to read the title. To navigate back, select the Book Details Navigate Up button near the upper-left corner of the screen. TalkBack will announce "Book details navigate up."

3.2: Reading Titles

There are two ways to read titles that are on your bookshelf.

Method one: From either the Audio Books or Audio Magazines folder, select the name of the title you would like to read. In doing this, books and magazines that have been downloaded will automatically open in the Now Reading screen.

Method two: Activate the Read Now button. To do so, enter the Book Details page for the title of the book or magazine you want to read. Select the Read Now button, located directly after the title's information. See Section 3.1 for information on accessing a book or magazine's Book Details page.

You cannot read a book that is in the process of downloading.

3.3: Creating Folders for Titles

BARD Mobile gives you the option of selecting between two main folders, Audio Books and Audio Magazines, to store your downloaded titles. However, you can move titles within and between these folders and also create additional subfolders within these categories.

To accomplish this, enter the main folder in which you would like to create a personal folder. Next, select the soft menu or More Options button on your device. A pop-up menu listing seven buttons appears. Select the button titled Create Folder, which is second on the list and directly after the button titled Sort.

When you select Create Folder, a pop-up dialog box titled Create Folder will appear, and TalkBack users will hear "Alert. Create folder. Cancel. OK." This pop-up box contains a text field in which you must enter the name of your newly created folder. After entering the name, swipe to the OK button, located below the text field and directly to the left of the Cancel button.

After you select the OK button, the Create Folder pop-up dialog box will close and the folder you created will be listed.

If you do not wish to create a folder, select the Cancel button and the Create Folder pop-up dialog box will close.

Use the Navigate Up button on the upper-left corner of the screen to return to the main Bookshelf screen.

3.4: Moving titles and Folders

Downloaded titles and user-created folders can be moved between categories and folders.

Select the folder in which the title or user-created folder you want moved is located. Next, select the soft menu or More Options button on your device. A pop-up menu listing seven buttons appears. Select the button titled Move, which is fifth on the list and directly after the Delete button.

When you select Move, a check box will display with each title. Swipe through the list and select the title or titles you would like to move. As selections are made through check boxes, TalkBack users will hear "not checked" if the item is not selected and "checked" when it is. Any folders you have created will also be listed.

After you have made your selections, swipe to the bottom of the list and select either the Cancel button or the OK button. Select the Cancel button if you do not wish to move any titles or folders.

When you select the OK button, you will be prompted to select a folder to move, and the Select Folder to Move screen will appear, listing Audio Books or Audio Magazines as choices.

The main folders, either Audio Books or Audio Magazines, with user-created folders will have an Expand/Collapse button directly after their names. By default, your user-created folders will be hidden and you will need to activate the Expand button to access them. When you activate the Expand button, the list of folders will appear.

Select the main folder or user-created folder to which you want to move the selected items. An Alert pop-up dialog box will appear asking if what you selected is where you want to move the chosen item.

Select the Yes button to complete the operation and return to the main folder from which the selection was made. Select the No button if you do not wish to move the item. When the No button is activated, you will return to the Select Folder to Move screen.

Use the Navigate Up button on the upper-left corner of the screen to return to the main Bookshelf screen.

With TalkBack disabled, BARD Mobile users may move titles by swiping toward the right directly on the title. Two options will appear: Delete and Move. Select Move. A pop-up screen will appear listing the available folders to move the title to. Select the desired folder. A confirmation message will appear. Select the Yes button to move the title to the desired folder. Select the No button to cancel.

3.5: Renaming Folders

You can rename the title of any of the folders you created at any time by selecting the Rename Folder option through the soft menu or More Options button.

Select the main folder in which the user-created folder you want to rename is located. Then activate the soft menu or More Options button on your device and select the Rename Folder button, which is the third item on the list, directly after the Create Folder button.

When you select the Rename Folder button, a pop-up dialog box titled Rename will appear. It will list all the user-created folders you can rename.

Swipe through the list and select the folder you would like to rename. As the selections are made through checkboxes, TalkBack will announce "not checked" if the folder is not selected, or it will announce "checked" when it is. Only one folder can be selected at a time.

By default, the first folder listed will be selected. If this is not the folder you would like to rename, swipe through the list to the folder you would like to rename and select it. In doing so, any other folder previously selected will automatically be unselected.

After you have made your selection, swipe to the bottom of the list and select either the Cancel button or the OK button. Select the Cancel button if you do not wish to rename the folder. The pop-up dialog box will close.

When you select the OK button, you will be prompted to rename the folder in a new pop-up box titled Rename Folder. Enter the new name of the folder in the text field. After entering the name, swipe to the OK button, located after the text field and to the left of the Cancel button.

After you select the OK button, the Rename Folder pop-up dialog box will close and your newly renamed folder will now be listed.

If you do not wish to rename a folder, select the Cancel button and the Rename Folder pop-up dialog box will close.

Use the Navigate Up button on the upper-left corner of the screen to return to the main Bookshelf screen.

3.6: Deleting Titles and Folders

You can delete titles and user-created folders from your Bookshelf at any time.

Select and enter the folder within Bookshelf that contains the item you want to delete. If the item you want to delete is located in a user-created folder, you must enter that folder. Then activate the soft menu or More Options button on your device. Swipe through the pop-up menu list and select the Delete button, which is fourth on the list, directly after the Rename Folder button.

The items available for deletion will present in a list. A check box will display with each title. Swipe through the list and select the title or titles you would like to delete. As selections are made through check boxes, TalkBack users will hear "not checked" if the item is not selected and "checked" when it is.

After you have made your selections, swipe to the bottom of the list and select either the Cancel button or the OK button. Select the Cancel button if you do not wish to delete any items.

When you select the OK button, Bard Mobile will ask you to confirm the deletion. TalkBack users will hear "Are you sure you want to delete?" In addition, BARD Mobile will note that when you delete a user-created folder, you will also delete its contents.

Select the Yes button to complete the operation and return to the main folder from which the deletion occurred. Select the No button if you do not wish to delete any items. When the No button is activated, you will return to the point you originally selected.

With TalkBack disabled, BARD Mobile users may delete titles by swiping right directly on the title. Two options will appear: Delete and Move. Select Delete. A confirmation message will appear. Select Yes to delete the title.

Use the Navigate Up button on the upper-left corner of the screen to return to the main Bookshelf screen.

Section 4: Get Books

Get Books is the second tab on the tab bar, following the Bookshelf tab. It is used to access and download titles currently on BARD.

You can view and download titles that are available on BARD through several categories within Get Books. These categories are Browse Wish List, Recently Added Audio Books, Recently Added Audio Magazines, Most Popular Books, Browse Magazines, and Previous Downloads. You can view and add titles to your wish list in BARD through the Browse BARD category.

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Figure 3: The Get Books tab in BARD Mobile

4.1: Browse Wish List

The Browse Wish List category is the first category listed in Get Books. Within this category, you will find all the books listed on your wish list in BARD. You can download these titles to your device directly from this category.

See Section 4.7 to learn about downloading titles to your device.

4.2: Recently Added Audio Books and Audio Magazines

Recently Added Audio Books and Recently Added Audio Magazines are the second and third categories listed in Get Books. Within these categories, BARD Mobile lists the titles most recently added to BARD.

The titles are presented in lists that you can swipe or slowly scroll through. When you near the bottom of the list, BARD Mobile will automatically refresh the list and load additional titles.

From these categories, you can download titles to your device. See Section 4.7 to learn more.

4.3: Most Popular Books

The Most Popular Books category lists the most frequently downloaded audio titles.

The most popular titles are presented in scrollable lists that you can flick or scroll through. Title, author, narrator, and reading time will display for each entry. Long press to access the book number and annotation for each title. You can download these titles to your device directly from this category.

See section 4.7 to learn about downloading titles to your device.

4.4: Browse Magazines

The Browse Magazines category lists the available audio magazine titles.

Magazines are presented in scrollable lists that you can flick or scroll through. Select the title of the magazine you wish to read to access the list of issues available. The title, narrator, and reading time will display for each entry.

You can download these titles to your device directly from this category.

See section 4.7 to learn about downloading titles to your device.

4.5: Previous Downloads

The Previous Downloads category in Get Books is the list of materials you have downloaded from BARD. You can download these titles to your device directly from this category.

See section 4.7 to learn about downloading titles to your device.

4.6: Browse BARD

You can access the BARD website through the Browse BARD button on the Get Books screen.

The Browse BARD option allows you to access BARD online. You can search the collection, add additional items to your wish list, and more. However, only links that lead to another location within BARD will be functional. You cannot explore other websites or change your BARD password through this option.

Navigate through the BARD website as you wish, and at any time, return to the Get Books screen through the Navigate Up button on the upper-left corner of the screen.

4.7: Downloading Titles

From the Browse Wish List, Recently Added Audio Books, or Recently Added Audio Magazines category, select the title you would like to download. When you do this, the Select Folder to Download screen will appear. If the title you selected is an audiobook, then the Audio Books folder will be listed. If the title you selected is an audio magazine, then the Audio Magazines folder will be listed.

The Audio Books folder or Audio Magazines folder containing user-created folders will have an Expand/Collapse button directly after its name. By default, your user-created folders are hidden, and you will need to activate the Expand button to access them. When you activate the Expand button, the list of subfolders will appear.

Select the folder to which you want to download the title. After selection, BARD Mobile will return you to the screen from which you selected the title, and automatically download the book or magazine.

BARD Mobile displays the progress of the download as a percentage, listed directly before the name of the book or magazine. TalkBack users who wish to know the status of the download can select the title and it will announce download progress. While in the Recently Added categories, TalkBack will announce "this book is being downloaded already," after which it will announce the percentage downloaded. While in Bookshelf, if you select the title of a downloading book or magazine, TalkBack will either announce "book is downloading" or "book is not available."

Titles that are downloading from the Recently Added categories will automatically appear within the folder selected. Titles that are downloading from the Browse Wish List category will automatically be removed from your wish list and filed within the appropriate folder in Bookshelf.

4.8: Cancelling and Deleting Titles in Process of Downloading

If you wish to cancel the download of a book or magazine, you must do so through Bookshelf. You will follow the same process as described in Section 3.6: Deleting Titles and Folders.

Select and enter the folder within Bookshelf that contains the downloading items you want to delete. Then, activate the soft menu or More Options button located on your device. Swipe through the pop-up menu list and select the Delete button, which is fourth on the list and directly after the Rename Folder button.

The items available for deletion will present in a list. A check box will display with each title. Swipe through the list and select the title or titles you would like to delete. As selections are made through check boxes, TalkBack users will hear "not checked" if the item is not selected and "checked" when it is.

After you have made your selection, swipe to the bottom of the list and select either the Cancel button or the OK button. Select the Cancel button if you do not wish to delete the item.

When you select the OK button, Bard Mobile will ask you to confirm the deletion. TalkBack users will hear "Are you sure you want to delete?" In addition, BARD Mobile will note that deleting a folder will also delete its contents.

Select the Yes button to complete the operation and return to the main folder from which the deletion occurred. Select the No button if you do not wish to delete the items. When the No button is activated, you will return to the main folder you initially selected.

Section 5: Now Reading

The Now Reading tab is the third and last tab on the tab bar. It is used to read audio titles that are downloaded onto your device. The Now Reading screen has a similar layout to that of the digital talking-book player. Section 5 describes this layout and the steps necessary to play your titles.

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Figure 4: The Now Reading screen

5.1: Title Information

Near the top of the Now Reading screen, directly after the tab bar, is the title information. This information includes the title heading of the book or magazine you are reading, and the title of the section currently being read.

5.2: Elapsed Time Information

Your current position in the book is illustrated through an elapsed time display. This information directly follows the title information.

The display shows the time elapsed of the title. TalkBack will announce the word "elapsed," followed by the time of your current position in relation to the total time of the book or magazine.

5.3: Navigation

BARD Mobile allows you to navigate through the contents of the book through the Navigation button, which is located after the elapsed time display. When you activate the Navigation button, you gain access to the Navigation screen, which outlines the contents of the title currently being read. It also allows you to access your skippable settings.

For further details on book navigation options, please see Section 5.14.

5.4: Progress Bar

The Progress bar directly follows the Navigation button. The Progress bar illustrates how far along you are in the book by a thin blue line. TalkBack users will hear "Progress bar," followed by how far you have progressed through the title as a percentage.

5.5: Sleep

Directly following the Progress Bar is the Sleep Timer button. Invoking the Sleep Timer will stop playback after a set period of time or at the next chapter boundary.

Activating the Sleep Timer button once will set the Sleep Timer for 15 minutes, twice will set it for 30 minutes, three times will set it for 45 minutes, four times will set it for 60 minutes, and five times will set the Sleep Timer to stop playback at the end of the current chapter. Activating it a sixth time will turn the Sleep Timer off. At the conclusion of the selected period the volume will fade for 10 seconds and playback will stop. Activating the Play/Stop button will cancel the Sleep Timer.

Each time the button is activated BARD Mobile will announce the amount of time the Sleep Timer has been set for or, if it has been activated for the sixth time, it will announce that it has been turned off.

5.6: Bookmark

The Bookmark button is near the middle of the Now Reading screen, adjacent to the Sleep button. Select the Bookmark button to insert or delete a bookmark at the current reading position.

While reading a book or magazine, at any time, you can mark a point in the title and return to that point whenever you wish. Selecting the Bookmark button while playing a book will not disrupt the narration of the title. The bookmark will be stored even if you turn off BARD Mobile or select another title to read.

To remove a bookmark while reading a book, return to within 5 seconds of the marked position and select the Bookmark button. If the title is in stop mode, the reading position must be exactly at the existing bookmark to remove it.

You can review all your bookmarks for the title you are currently reading through the Navigation screen. Select "bookmark" on the Menu button prior to accessing the Navigation screen and then select the Navigation button, which follows the time elapsed display.

Please see Section 5.7 for information on the Menu button.

5.7: Menu

The Menu button is the ninth element on the Now Reading screen. This button is located between the Previous and Next button. Its purpose is to select the navigation level you would like to use when moving between points of the book, through the Previous or Next buttons. Navigation points such as chapters, sections, or bookmarks vary with each title.

5.8: Previous

Just before the Menu button is the Previous button, which is used to move backward one navigation point to the previous point as selected with the Menu button. If BARD Mobile is in stop mode, each time the Previous button is activated, the book narrator will read the heading of the new item selected. If it is in play mode, playback will start from the new location.

Pressing the Previous button for an extended time will move navigation toward the beginning of the book in increments of five navigation elements. TalkBack users can double tap and hold the button to accomplish the same results.

5.9: Next

Following the Menu button is the Next button, which is used to move forward one navigation point to the next point as selected with the Menu button. If BARD Mobile is in stop mode when the Next button is activated, the book narrator will read the heading of the item selected. If it is in play mode, playback will start from the new location.

Pressing the Next button for an extended time will move navigation toward the end of the book in increments of five navigation elements. TalkBack users can double tap and hold the button to accomplish the same result.

5.10: Play/Stop

Between the Rewind and Fast Forward button is the Play/Stop button. Activate the button to either start or stop playing a title.

You will hear a beep each time you activate the button, and if TalkBack is on, users will hear "Play button" or "Stop button," depending on the action taken.

5.11: Rewind

The Rewind button is directly after the Previous button and just before the Play/Stop button. It is used to move the reading position backward. Select the Rewind button to move backward 5 seconds in the book or double tap to move backward 10 seconds. If TalkBack is enabled, double tap the Rewind button to move backward 5 seconds. Complete two rapid successions of double taps on the Rewind button to move backward 10 seconds.

If you continue to press the button, however, the further you will move backward. If you press the Rewind button for longer than 10 seconds, the reading position will continue moving backward in increments of up to one hour. If TalkBack is enabled, you must double tap and hold the Rewind button longer than 10 seconds to move back in increments of up to one hour.

Beeps during rewind indicate you have passed a navigation point.

5.12: Fast Forward

The Fast Forward button is directly after the Play/Stop button, and it is used to move the reading position forward. Select the Fast Forward button to move forward 5 seconds in the book. TalkBack users can double tap the Fast Forward button to move forward 5 seconds. Complete two rapid successions of double taps on the Forward button to move forward 10 seconds.

If you continue to press the button, however, the further you will move forward. If you press the Fast Forward button for longer than 10 seconds, the reading position will continue moving forward in increments of up to one hour. If TalkBack is enabled, you must double tap and hold the Fast Forward button longer than 10 seconds to move ahead in increments of up to one hour.

Beeps heard while forwarding indicate you have passed a navigation point.

5.13: Speed and Tone

Located at the center bottom of the Now Reading screen is the Speed/Tone button. The Speed/Tone button changes the function of the Speed/Tone Increase and Decrease buttons, which allow you to adjust those values.

The Speed/Tone Decrease button directly follows the Fast Forward button. The Speed/Tone Increase button is after the Speed/Tone button.

When you want to change the speed or the tone, select the Speed/Tone Button. TalkBack users will hear either "tone" or "speed" when selected. The Increase and Decrease buttons will interchange according to the Speed/Tone function selected.

Select the Speed button to change BARD Mobile reading speed. Activate the Increase or Decrease button to change the speed between 50 and 300 percent, in increments of 25 percent.

By default, BARD Mobile reading speed is at 100 percent. This is confirmed through a low-pitched beep BARD Mobile produces when set at that value, which is different from the higher-pitched beep made when selecting other values. In addition, TalkBack users will hear "speed is set to normal" when speed is set at 100 percent.

If TalkBack is enabled while a book is being read, TalkBack will not announce the percentage of the speed as it is being increased or decreased. However, you can select the Speed/Tone button and TalkBack will announce the value of the percentage set.

Select the Tone button to change the amount of bass or treble in the narrator's voice, and then activate the Increase or Decrease button to adjust the tone between values of negative 10 and positive 10.

By default, the tone value is set to zero. When set at this value, TalkBack users will hear "tone is normal" and a low-pitched beep, which is different from the higher-pitched beep made when another value is selected.

If TalkBack is enabled while a book is being read, TalkBack will not announce the value of the tone as it is being increased or decreased. However, you can select the Speed/Tone button and TalkBack will announce the value of the tone set.

Changing the speed or tone setting on the Now Reading screen will only affect the book you are currently reading.

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Figure 5: Book Navigation screen

5.14: Book Navigation

An alternate way to navigate through the contents of the book you are reading is through the Navigation screen. To access a book's Navigation screen, activate the Navigation button, which is located directly after the Time Elapsed display.

Playback of a title will pause when you enter the Navigation screen.

When you access the Navigation screen, the elements of the title-or your bookmarks if selected through the Menu button-are listed. A Current Reading icon denotes the section in which you are currently reading. It is located before the section title. TalkBack users who swipe through the items will hear "Current Reading icon" when they approach the section they are currently reading. Swipe once more and TalkBack will announce the title of that section.

BARD Mobile indicates navigation items with additional navigational points through an Expand/Collapse button. This button follows the title of the navigation item. Tap and hold the button to expand and collapse the levels.

TalkBack users will know when there are additional navigation items because TalkBack will announce the level and a plus (to expand) or minus (to collapse). Double tap and hold to expand or collapse the items.

Scroll or swipe through the list and select the section to which you want to jump. The Navigation screen will then close and the player will begin to read from your selected navigation point.

At any time, you can leave the Navigation screen by selecting the Navigate Up button, located near the upper-left corner of the screen.

5.15: Skippable Material

By default, BARD Mobile will play content within books marked as "skippable." You can change that, however, through the Read Skippable Elements button. Skippable material may include items such as sidebars, page numbers, and footnotes.

To activate the Read Skippable Elements button, access the Navigation screen through the Navigation button. Select the soft menu or More Options button on your device and then select the Read Skippable Elements button. A pop-up dialog box titled Skippable Item Settings will appear and you can then select the checkbox to skip items marked as skippable. TalkBack will announce "not checked" if the option is not selected or "checked" when it is.

Select "OK" to accept the action or "Cancel" to return to the Navigation screen. Leave the Navigation screen by selecting the Navigate Up button, located near the upper-left corner of the screen.

Section 6: Settings

BARD Mobile allows you to adjust audio, accessibility, and user account settings to optimize your reading experience through Settings, located on a pop-up menu that is accessed through the soft menu or More Options button on your device. You can also obtain information concerning your device as it pertains to BARD Mobile.

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Figure 6: The Settings screen

6.1: Speed

The first two options on the settings screen are Speed and Tone. By default, the narration speed is set at 100 percent and is adjustable. To increase or decrease the speed, select the Speed button. A Speed dialog box will be presented. Use the increase speed button and the decrease speed button to set the desired speed. Values between 50 and 300 percent are available in intervals of 25. Select the OK button to set the speed.

Changing the speed in the BARD Mobile settings screen only affects titles not previously opened.

6.2: Tone

By default, the narration tone-or the amount of bass or treble in the reading voice-is set at zero and is adjustable between the values of negative 10 and positive 10. To increase or decrease the tone, select the Tone button. A Tone dialog box will present. Use the increase tone button and the decrease tone button to set the desired tone. Select the OK button to set the tone.

Changing the tone in the BARD Mobile settings screen only affects titles not previously opened.

6.3: Verbosity Settings

The third button on the Settings screen is the Verbosity Setting button. The verbosity setting affects the amount of spoken feedback the application will provide as you navigate a book using the buttons on the Now Reading screen. These messages are similar to the messages you might hear when using your digital talking-book player and does not affect TalkBack speech.

There are two options for the verbosity setting: normal and low. By default, the verbosity setting is normal. In this setting, for example, press and hold the Forward button in BARD Mobile, and you will hear the message "forward 20 seconds." Select the button again, with the verbosity setting on low, and you will hear the message "20 seconds."

To change the setting, select the Verbosity Setting button. An Alert pop-up dialog box titled Verbosity Setting will appear with the option to select Normal or Low. Select the checkbox next to the verbosity setting of your choice. As options are provided with checkboxes, TalkBack will announce "not checked" if the option is not selected or "checked" when it is.

After you have made your selection, the pop-up dialog box will close and you will return to the Settings screen.

If you do not wish to change the current setting, select the Cancel button at the bottom of the pop-up box. The pop-up dialog box will close and you will return to the Settings screen.

6.4: Beep Setings

The beep setting option allows you to silence the beeps that sound when you activate any of the button controls in the Now Reading screen. When the beep setting is set to on, audible beeps will sound when the Sleep Timer, Bookmark, Previous, Menu, Next, Rewind, Play/Stop, Forward, Speed and Tone buttons are activated in the Now Reading screen. When it is set to off, the beeps will not sound.

By default, the beep setting option is on; audible beeps are heard.

6.5: Contrast

By default, BARD Mobile uses black text on a white background. However, you can select another contrast option for the text in relation to the background. In addition to black text on a white background, you can choose white text on a black background, black text on a yellow background, or yellow text on a black background.

To change your Contrast setting, select Contrast from the Settings menu. Then select the contrast option of your choosing.

6.6: Device Accessibility Settings

The Device Accessibility Settings button is the sixth button in Settings. Through this button, you can access your device's accessibility settings and make changes that will affect your device and BARD Mobile. This includes activating TalkBack, changing font sizes, or enabling magnification gestures.

Selecting the Back key on your device will return you to the Settings page in BARD Mobile.

Consult the user guide for your device to learn more about its accessibility features. You can also visit the Android Accessibility Help page.

6.7: Network

By default, BARD Mobile does not allow downloading over the cellular network. At any time, you can choose to download materials over the cellular data network by selecting the Network button, which is the seventh button in Settings. If your device has cellular capabilities, this setting will allow you to download titles using your mobile network.

By default, the setting is off. To activate this option, select the checkbox. TalkBack users will hear "not checked" if the option is not selected or "checked" when it is.

6.8: Application Reset

The Application Reset button, the eighth button in Settings, enables you to reset the BARD Mobile App. Please note that, when you reset the application, all BARD data from your device will be deleted, including your downloaded books and magazines.

When you select the Application Reset button, BARD Mobile will not immediately reset the application. Instead, a pop-up dialog box appears and asks "Are you sure you want to reset the application?" TalkBack will announce this question as well as the fact that resetting the application will result in the deletion of all BARD data and material. Select the Continue button if you would like the application to reset. Select Cancel if you wish to return to the Settings screen.

When you initialize the application after a reset, you will have to enter your username and password and once again consent to the terms of service.

6.9: Application Version, Current Username, and Storage

The final three options within Settings provide you information important to know concerning the way BARD Mobile functions.

The Application Version option provides data on the current version of BARD Mobile you are using. You are encouraged to use the most current version of BARD Mobile, which may include bug fixes and other updates.

BARD Mobile allows only one user to access BARD through BARD Mobile, and the Current Username option lists the username used to do so. This may impact what books you can download to your device from your wish list in BARD, as the username is associated with that particular BARD account.

To change the username, you must reset the application. See Section 6.8 to learn more about the Application Reset function.

The Storage Location option notes the specific location of where downloaded material is being stored on your device. Consult the user guide for your device to learn more about its Application Manager settings.

Section 7: Tips and Hints

7.1: Using TalkBack

TalkBack users can easily move between tabs without having to select them. Using one finger, tap, hold, and slowly swipe to the left or right of the screen.

TalkBack users who would like to hear the spelling of a word that TalkBack announces can do so through special gestures. Draw an L shape gesture-down and across the right of the screen-and then lift your finger from the screen. A sound, similar to a very rapid knock, denotes that you have accessed the Global Context Menu. TalkBack will ask you to "touch the screen and explore the circle to find an item." However, you should touch the screen with one finger and slide it to the right. TalkBack will then say "spell the last utterance." Lift your finger from the screen, and TalkBack will spell the last utterance.

Android and iOS devices vary in their terminology and use of accessibility features and gestures. For those who prefer to use TalkBack to navigate BARD Mobile, exploring by touch-slowly dragging one finger around the screen to move focus-may be the quickest way to learn and know where items are on the screen. Please refer to Section 1.2 to learn more about TalkBack as it relates to BARD Mobile, access your device user guide concerning its accessibility features, or visit the Android Accessibility Help page.

Last updated: 01/27/2021