School and Local Public Library Partner to Widen Student Access to Books

Posted on 05/20/2019

 

Central Elementary School and Northampton Memorial Library in Jackson recently partnered together to get juvenile library cards into the hands of all students at the school who wanted one and had parental permission.  The library card drive was a success! Not only will participating students have access to the public library’s print collection, but also to the state’s new NC Kids Digital Library.

NC Kids Digital Library is the first of its kind statewide: a digital library of eBooks, audiobooks, and videos for children preschool through elementary grades. With funding from the legislature and the help of the State Library, North Carolina’s Public Library Directors Association developed the digital library. The digital materials, mainly eBooks, can be used by any child in the state with a public library card and a tablet, computer or other device. Young learners will have access to over 15,000 books, 4,000 audio books, and 800 videos all of which are age-appropriate and free of cost.

Rebecca Long, the school’s Instructional Coach, said she is excited that the kids will have access to so many books and so much choice in what to read. It comes at a perfect time, since the school recently got new Google Chromebooks for personalized learning. The eBooks can be downloaded at school and read at home even if students lack internet service.  During the summer and over holidays, students who may not be able to travel to the library will still be able to get exciting fiction and informational books, as well as magazines. Long also hopes the new resource will help combat summer slide where students lose reading skills over long breaks.

https://nckids.overdrive.com/