Ebook and Audiobook Usage in Schools Sees Record Growth

Digital books are a powerful educational tool, providing students with the opportunity to improve their literacy and learn anytime, anywhere. Now eight million students from 17,000 districts and schools have the opportunity to access digital books through Sora, the new student reading app from OverDrive Education.

OverDrive Education and Sora support Texas' Proclamation 2019, which calls for instructional materials to promote English language arts curriculum adoptions for grades K-8 across the state for the 2019-2020 school year. Schools can choose from a balanced and diverse digital catalog of supplemental and student choice reading titles for use in the Sora app on any device or computer. More information found here.

Sessions at this week’s Texas Computer Education Association Convention & Exposition (TCEA) at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio (Booth #1239) will demonstrate how Sora and digital books contributed to the growth by serving the changing needs of students and educators (complete schedule here). OverDrive Education, digital reading platform for K-12, will also share best practices and highlights, such as the lists below.

The top five ebooks for K-12 students in 2018: 

  1. Wonder, R. J. Palacio
  2. The Maze Runner, James Dashner
  3. Big Nate Makes a Splash, Lincoln Peirce
  4.  Big Nate Makes the Grade, Lincoln Peirce
  5. The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

The top five audiobooks for K-12 students in 2018:

  1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling
  2. A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L'engle
  3. The Lightning Thief, Lincoln Peirce
  4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J. K. Rowling
  5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J. K. Rowling  

Visit TCEA Booth # 1239 from February 5-7 to hear educators share how they are using their digital reading platform and Sora to improve reading engagement and education:

  • Choosing & Promoting a Digital Reading Service -– Tuesday at 5pm
  • Sora Helps You Make the Most of Your Digital Library – Wednesday at 11am
  • From Research to Funding to Engagement: The Life Cycle of Your Digital Library – Wednesday at 1pm
  • Digital Reading Gets Students Ready for College – Wednesday at 3:45pm
  • Sora is Your School's Secret to Reading Engagement – Thursday at 11am & 2pm

For more information about OverDrive’s service for schools, visit overdrive.com/schools and TCEA Booth #1239.