Amazon's Alexa and BARD | RI Office of Library & Information Services

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The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), plans to make audiobooks and magazines available through Amazon Alexa smart speakers in mid-late summer 2025.

NLS is in the final stages of beta testing this ability with patrons from across the country. Patrons will use their voice to find and play books and magazines on a variety of Amazon’s smart speakers. As with other smart speaker products, the books and magazines will be stored within your BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) account service offered by the National Library Services. If you have more than one Amazon smart speaker, you would be able to move from one speaker to another and continue listening.