In the summer of 2009, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped officially went digital. For many months before digital cartridges were introduced, however, digital books were available for downloading from the National Library Service's BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) website. At first, the BARD service was only lightly used, but once patrons started to receive their players in mid-2009, BARD downloading began in earnest. Here's how the year of downloading books shaped up, statistically speaking. The number of total downloads for the month is in parentheses for each title.

January

Trouble by Jesse Kellerman DB 69181 [NYPL] and Rescue Your Money by Ric Edelman DB 68937 (7 each)
24 people registered for BARD
116 people downloaded from BARD

February

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger DB 47480 (11) [NYPL]
32 people registered for BARD
131 people downloaded from BARD

March

The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments DB 68777 (13)  [NYPL]
20 people registered for BARD
147 people downloaded from BARD

April

True Blue by David Baldacci DB 69900 [NYPL] and The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell DB 69895 (10 each) [NYPL]
35 people registered for BARD
159 people downloaded from BARD

May

The Professional: A Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker DB 69725 (13) [NYPL]
19 people registered for BARD
150 people downloaded from BARD

June

Accident by Danielle Steel DB 37810 (31) [NYPL]
21 people registered for BARD
146 people downloaded from BARD

July

Killer's Wedge: An 87th Precinct Mystery by Ed McBain DB 38234 (10) (Link not available; search for the book at the BARD website)
34 people registered for BARD
172 people downloaded from BARD

August

The Girl Who Played with Fire: Millennium Trilogy Book 2 by Stieg Larsson DB 69599 (14) [NYPL]
38 people registered for BARD
191 people downloaded from BARD

September

Game Change: Obama and the Clintons; McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann DB 70503 [NYPL] and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: The Millennium Trilogy Book 1 by Stieg Larsson DB 67759 (10 each) [NYPL]
23 people registered for BARD
193 people downloaded from BARD

October

The 9th Judgment by James Patterson DB 71272 (18) [NYPL]
24 people registered for BARD
201 people downloaded from BARD

November

Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin DB 71280 (21)
16 people registered for BARD
190 people downloaded from BARD

December

The Confession by John Grisham DB 71850 (27) [NYPL]
21 people registered for BARD
190 people downloaded from BARD