Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled

Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Reading material and playback equipment are provided by the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind & Print Disabled (NLS).

Georgia’s Regional Library for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, providing access to over 487,000 recorded books, magazines, accessible e-books and specially produced musical scores and music instruction materials. Through the Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (GLS), Georgians with print disabilities have access to a free national library program

that offers recorded books and magazines on digital cartridge and in braille. Through BARD Mobile and Bookshare, users can also download accessible books on smartphones, tablets, or computers.

Holiday Closure Notice: GLS will be closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day. [Image: Multicolor silhouettes of diffe...
09/04/2026

Holiday Closure Notice:
GLS will be closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.

[Image: Multicolor silhouettes of different kinds of workers.]

Disability Voting Rights Week is almost here, so we sat down with Garrick Scott from Multiple Choices for a conversation...
09/03/2026

Disability Voting Rights Week is almost here, so we sat down with Garrick Scott from Multiple Choices for a conversation on why true voting equality matters so much. He also gave us all the details about a hands-on, stress-free voting forum coming up at Athens-Clarke County Library on September 15. Check out our Q&A with Garrick on the GLS blog: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/why-every-voice-matters-community-accessibility-and-the-power-of-the-vote/

[Image: Garrick Scott, a tall Black man with a white cane, takes the floor during a 2024 salsa dance workshop at the Winder Public Library.]

Get ready for the new BARD Web Player! This Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m., join The Many Faces of BARD on Zoom. NLS st...
09/02/2026

Get ready for the new BARD Web Player! This Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m., join The Many Faces of BARD on Zoom. NLS staff will introduce this exciting new way to read your books, then take any and all BARD-related questions for the remainder of the hour. Get details, including links to join the meeting, at https://gls.georgialibraries.org/event/many-faces-of-bard-bard-web-player/

[Image: A person accesses the BARD Main Page on their laptop computer. Embedded text reads The Many Faces of BARD. Learn Online!]

GLS will close tomorrow, August 27, at 12:00 p.m. We will resume our normal hours of operation on Friday, August 28. Th...
08/26/2026

GLS will close tomorrow, August 27, at 12:00 p.m. We will resume our normal hours of operation on Friday, August 28. Thank you for your understanding.
[image: closed sign]

Calling all Bingo lovers! Join the Friends of GLS this Saturday, August 29, for an afternoon of games and prizes. Bingo ...
08/26/2026

Calling all Bingo lovers! Join the Friends of GLS this Saturday, August 29, for an afternoon of games and prizes. Bingo cards are just $5 each, but if you buy 2, we’ll treat you to a FREE 1-year membership to Friends of GLS! It's a fantastic way to support the library.

The Details
Time: 12:00 to 3 PM
Location: GLS Atlanta Library at Fulton County Central Library Branch

Reserve your spot by calling (404) 657-1452 or 1-800-248-6701. See you Saturday! [image: colorful bingo cards]

The Fall 2026 issue of GLS News is here! Catch up on our recent Library of the Year award, a recap of our Summer Reading...
08/20/2026

The Fall 2026 issue of GLS News is here! Catch up on our recent Library of the Year award, a recap of our Summer Reading adventures, information on a new technology help desk service from our friends at Georgia Task Force For Empowering Blind Independence, and more.

To read the newsletter in your choice of four accessible formats, visit our newsletter page: https://gls.georgialibraries.org/newsletter/

Here's an exciting opportunity, just announced by the NLS Patron Engagement team!NLS is looking for patrons who would be...
08/19/2026

Here's an exciting opportunity, just announced by the NLS Patron Engagement team!

NLS is looking for patrons who would be interested in beta testing a new web player that can be used to play audio books from BARD. This player will be available to all patrons of NLS network libraries (including GLS) and can be used while logged into the BARD web site.

Features of the web player include:

* Increase and decrease playback speed.
* The ability to jump through the book by time increments.
* Sleep timer.
* The ability to monitor the reading location.
* Volume adjustment.
* The ability to jump directly to any section of the book such as parts and chapters.
* Reading synchronization with other BARD platforms that support reading synchronization such as the My Talking Books smart speaker skill. Additional BARD platforms will support synchronization in the coming months.

NLS is looking for up to 250 patrons who would be interested in beta testing this new player. By signing up for this beta:

* You will be expected to read at least five hours per week using the web player.
* You will be required to provide feedback on the player through email, focus groups, or other mediums to be announced.
* You will be on a listserv with other Web Player Beta participants to share your experiences and receive feedback from NLS.
* You must agree not to publicly demonstrate or provide recordings of the web player until it is released into production. Violation of this agreement will result in removal from the beta as a participant.

To sign up for the web player beta, send an email at [email protected]. The email must include:
* Your full name, and
* A statement specifying that you would like to participate in beta testing the NLS web player.
The email you provide will be used to place you on the Web Player listserv. When the beta version of the player is released, you will receive an email from NLS with instructions on how to use the player.

[Image: Hands operate a laptop computer keyboard. Embedded text reads: NLS Beta Test Opportunity. New BARD Web Player. ]

GLS Summer Reading 2026 is now just a fond memory, and what a great collection of stories we unearthed! Get the highligh...
08/17/2026

GLS Summer Reading 2026 is now just a fond memory, and what a great collection of stories we unearthed! Get the highlights, including the names of our three grand prize winners, in the new GLS blog post at https://gls.georgialibraries.org/gls-unearthed-many-stories-this-summer/

[Image: A child works on putting together a foam dinosaur skeleton in the GLS activity area at the LaGrange Memorial Library Summer Reading Carnival in May 2026.]

08/13/2026

We are still on cloud nine after being named Regional Library of the Year! A huge thank you to WSB-TV for stopping by to capture what makes GLS so special.

Ready to update your DA2? Join NLS TONIGHT August 13 for Many Faces of BARD! Tonight's topic is all about Updating the D...
08/13/2026

Ready to update your DA2? Join NLS TONIGHT August 13 for Many Faces of BARD! Tonight's topic is all about Updating the DA2. The session will kick off at 7 p.m. with a presentation and demonstration, followed by an open Q&A where NLS staff will answer your questions about all things BARD for the remainder of the hour! Join by going to: https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1606945179?pwd=EH2KEjihYhALNg5ttf816aKuPGgndc.1.
[image: NLS DA2 talking book player]

Address

One Margaret Mitchell Square, First Floor
Atlanta, GA
30303

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Website

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