Prevent the Summer Slide with Scholastic BookFlix

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Summer is a season filled with adventure, relaxation, and fun; however, it can also lead to a decline in the reading skills that students have diligently developed throughout the school year. This phenomenon, known as the “summer slide,” can pose challenges for children as they return to school in the fall, ready to learn.

Fortunately, your library offers a fantastic resource to help families maintain their reading habits all summer long: Scholastic BookFlix.

What Is BookFlix?

Scholastic BookFlix is an engaging digital literacy tool tailored for children in PreK through Grade 3. Each BookFlix pairing features a classic fictional picture book alongside a related nonfiction title, aiding young readers in enhancing their reading comprehension, expanding their vocabulary, and making connections between stories and real-life topics.

Each title also offers interactive features such as:

  • Read-aloud narration with highlighted text
  • Educational games and activities
  • Vocabulary support
  • Safe, age-appropriate videos
  • Printable resources for caregivers and educators

These features make BookFlix particularly appealing for emerging readers and those who benefit from audio support.

How BookFlix Helps Prevent the Summer Slide

Establishing a consistent reading routine during the summer is one of the most effective ways to mitigate learning loss. BookFlix simplifies this by providing children with an engaging, interactive reading experience they can enjoy from home or while traveling.

Using BookFlix throughout the summer enables children to:

  • Regularly practice their reading skills
  • Build confidence as independent readers
  • Enhance comprehension through the connection of fiction and nonfiction
  • Develop background knowledge across various subjects, including science, social studies, animals, nature, and more
  • Cultivate a lifelong passion for reading

Even dedicating just 15–20 minutes a day to reading can significantly impact students’ retention of the skills they’ve acquired during the school year.

Tips for Families

Encourage parents and caregivers to integrate BookFlix into their family’s summer routine:

  • Read one BookFlix pair together multiple times a week.
  • Discuss the similarities and differences between the fiction and nonfiction titles.
  • Engage in the interactive activities following the reading.
  • Select topics that resonate with a child’s interests, such as dinosaurs, space, animals, weather, or sports.
  • Celebrate daily reading with a simple summer reading calendar or sticker chart.

Your Library Is Here to Help

One of the key benefits of BookFlix is its accessibility; it is available anytime, anywhere with an internet connection through the Power Kids Library website. Families can enjoy high-quality digital books from the comfort of their homes, making it an excellent complement to your library’s summer reading program.

This summer, encourage families to explore BookFlix and help young readers continue learning, growing, and discovering. Just a few minutes of reading each day can ensure children return to school prepared for another successful year—and your library is here to support them every step of the way.

Gabi- Robinson Library

Continue ReadingPrevent the Summer Slide with Scholastic BookFlix

Libby has the POWER!

Patrons upset about Hoopla? Yeah. Are they not satisfied with the tantalizing offers of both CLP and Free Library of Philadelphia cards for Libby? Also yeah. They come with those wait times we have heard so much about. 

Well, guess what! 

POWER Library has collaborated with OverDrive to roll out a pilot project that makes Libby available for all Pennsylvanians! This is an independent, statewide collection of over 14,000 always available titles that anyone with a public library card in PA can enjoy. Patrons can have 5 items checked out at a time and have 5 holds. 

Patrons will need either a library card from their local public library or an E-Card issued by POWER Library. They can sign up here.  

Patrons can visit powerlibrary.overdrive.com or Power Library’s Libbyapp page in a browser to access the POWER Library collection, or add the POWER Library collection in the Libby app. Here’s how: 

Using a Web Browser 

  1. Select Access Now 
  1. Select Sign In 
  1. Search/select for your library. (If using an E-Card, search/select POWER Library as your library.) 
  1. Enter the requested credential(s) 
     

Using the Libby App 

  1. Select Add Library 
  1. Search for POWER Library 
  1. Enter the requested credential(s) 

More Libby for everyone! MORE!  

-Mary, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Continue ReadingLibby has the POWER!

Upcoming changes to Adobe IDs

We recently learned of a change coming soon for Adobe IDs, which are used by OverDrive users who download Adobe EPUB or Adobe PDF eBooks to read on a computer or transfer to an eReader. This change does not impact users who read eBooks in Libby, their browser, or on Kindle.

Starting this month, users who download and authorize Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) for the first time will need to create a ByteBooks ID instead of an Adobe ID. This is because Adobe’s eBook platform (including ADE) is now managed by Wipro, owner of ByteBooks. Existing ADE users will not be impacted unless they encounter an issue that requires reauthorization or want to authorize a new device.

Since Adobe eBook downloads make up a very small percentage of overall checkouts, and most existing users will not be affected, we expect the overall impact of this change to be limited. Please direct any affected users to Overdrive’s help article for additional assistance.

– Heather Auman, Western Allegheny Community Library

Continue ReadingUpcoming changes to Adobe IDs

Job Seeker Spotlight: BlueCareer

Help your patrons discover BlueCareer: an all-in-one guide to the skilled trades.

Whether they’re a student looking to start their job path or a seasoned employee looking for a career change, BlueCareer is a helpful introduction into trade industries like construction, hospitality, tourism, landscaping, transporation & logistics. Whether they’re looking to become a crane operator, drone pilot, or arboist, BlueCareer has the resources to get them started on their new career path.

The career assement tool matches job seeker’s strengths with the right trade. Find in-demand trades in their area and dive into career-specific details for more than 100+ trades. Site content is generated from live-hiring data which keeps information current.

Job seekers can see what employers require in each field – from specific certification requirements and necessary skills to background check details.

Screenshot shows a synopsis of what a trade does, what necessary skills are required and what certifications are necessary for those positions.

The Explore the Community section lets job seekers watch curated videos and listen to industry podcasts to hear directly from people working in the field. Specific trade pathways are identified so job seekers can find schools, apprentice programs, or online training.

And the Salary Explorer lets seekers view real, localized pay data, so they know what the earning potential is for each trade.

Chat is available 24/7 to guide job seekers on the next step in their career path.

Get started exploring this resource!

Want to promote BlueCareer in your library? Access EBSCO’s BlueCareer promotional kit here.

Happy learning!

– Richelle, Sewickley Public Library

Continue ReadingJob Seeker Spotlight: BlueCareer