Kids

Training opportunity with Tutor.com University

Tutor.com is providing us with a new online training platform: Tutor.com University. 

This self-directed, interactive course is designed for any and all staff who work with students, adult learners, and job seekers. It guides staff through the patron experience within the platform and provides insights into engagement strategies, helpful tools, and more.  

If this sounds like it will be useful in your work, all you need to do is fill in this form! 

In the box for “library location,” please list your library’s name. For CLP, please enter your location as follows: CLP – [branch name]. In the box for “Consortium” please list ACLA. Select “No” under the question “Are you a program manager/admin for your Tutor.com Program?” 

Tutor.com processes these registration forms on the 15th and 30th of the month. Once you submit the form, Tutor.com will reach out with a link to set up your Tutor.com University account. You then have 30 days to complete the learning modules once you’ve started. You can click here to get started with the registration form.

If you think you might need extra time to complete the course, or if you have any other questions about Tutor.com University, reach out to Hilary Lewis or Mary Phillips.  

-Mary – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 

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Scholastic BookFlix

Explore Scholastic BookFlix: An Entertaining and Educational Digital Resource for Young Readers

Are you in search of an enjoyable and educational tool to assist your child’s reading journey? Look no further than Scholastic BookFlix, an amazing digital platform made available through state funding!

Scholastic BookFlix is an online resource tailored for young readers, providing an exciting way to discover books and videos. Designed for children from preschool to grade 3, it combines classic children’s literature with captivating animated videos, helping early readers enhance their literacy skills while igniting their creativity.

What Can You Find on Scholastic BookFlix?

Featuring over 130 book pairs, Scholastic BookFlix explores a diverse array of topics that intrigue curious young minds. Each pair connects an illustrated children’s book with a corresponding educational video, covering areas such as:

  • Animals & Nature: Discover the wonders of wildlife and the environment.
  • History: Learn about historical events and notable figures.
  • Science: Delve into fascinating science facts and concepts.
  • Stories & Folklore: Enjoy timeless tales and fables from around the globe.
  • And much more!

Every book pair includes a range of interactive features, such as:

  • Read-Aloud: The “read-aloud” feature allows children to listen to the story while following along with highlighted text, helping enhance their reading abilities.
  • Quizzes: After reading, kids can assess their understanding and knowledge through engaging quizzes.
  • Additional Educational Resources: Each story comes with extra activities and materials to enrich learning and deepen engagement with the content.

Why Scholastic BookFlix is an Excellent Choice for Young Readers

  • Develops Early Literacy Skills: The combination of books and videos aids in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary growth.
  • Interactive Learning: Features like read-aloud options and quizzes make the learning experience enjoyable.
  • Safe and Educational Content: Parents can feel confident knowing the material is suitable, educational, and entertaining.

24/7 Access: Enjoy BookFlix anytime, anywhere!

Gabi B. – Robinson Library

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Kids InfoBits and Accessibility

One of the greatest tools we have to offer children is the Kids InfoBits database. You might already know it for its wide subject base and ability to adjust the reading levels of its content, making it an invaluable tool for any elementary-age student, but it’s also built with a number of features that make it accessible to everyone:

  • You can have the text of the article read aloud by selecting the speaker icon at the top of the page. This function means the website is instantly accessible to anyone whose reading skills aren’t quite advanced enough to read it on their own. It also makes this a valuable tool for new readers: they can play the audio while reading, leading to higher word recognition and comprehension of the sentences.
  • Adjustable text size makes the content available to anyone with visual impairments, and increases readability on a variety of screens. For younger readers who are used to seeing text nice and big, the text can be adjusted to be more familiar.
  • Display options can be customized. The background color can be changed, and, most importantly, so can the text. There are only four font options, but one is Open Dyslexic, a font that’s easier for people with dyslexia to read. On top of different fonts, you can also adjust the spacing of each line, letter, and word.
  • Articles can be translated to a variety of languages. You can also change your interface language, so the entire website will be presented to you in your chosen language. The importance of that is obvious, but I’ve got an additional benefit: for libraries with limited collections of books in languages other than English, this is a really useful tool. Kids InfoBits provides hours of readable content for kids who are learning a second language (and, of course, for anyone learning English as a second language).

With all of these features, Kids InfoBits is not only a great reference source, but an excellent companion to your early reader and international languages collections.

-Jaime @ Penn Hills Library

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Marketing Tools from hoopla

Looking for a way to share more library resources? hoopla makes it easy!

hoopla offers an abundance of marketing and outreach resources that make sharing the collections with library users simple. Visit the hoopla Resource Center to find lists of featured collections, digital and printable marketing assets and even suggested post content.

View the Editorial Calendar for tools pertaining to upcoming holidays and themes. Find more general marketing materials in the Marketing & Outreach portion of the site.

Use this chance to schedule some posts highlighting online collections during the holiday season!

Hanukkah for Kids

Don’t forget to check back throughout the year to discover more resources and collections to share!

Wishing you & yours a happy holiday!

– Richelle @ Sewickley Public Library

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