The next Big Library Read kicks off on November 7th with a mystery for the whole family to enjoy!

The Sora Big Library Read is occurring again this year from November 7 - 21

• Have your students join and participate in a worldwide book club this November! Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key by Tracy Occomy Crowder will become available for simultaneous use in ebook and audiobook formats between November 7-21. The title, along with a promotional spotlight on Sora, will be added at no cost. 

• Like past Big Library Read programs, you can download free marketing materials and use #BigLibraryRead on social media to get the word out. There is a letter from the author and a reader group guide available for parents and educators. 

• Legler Regional Library in Chicago, Illinois will be hosting a live event on November 21 from 5-7 PM CDT. Author, Tracy Occomy Crowder will be attending from 6-7 PM for a live reading, audience Q&A, and story writing activity. Any readers that are interested in attending virtually can register here or via Legler Regional’s website!

• The Content Access Level for this title is set at "Juvenile"

Summary

• "In 2008 Chicago, in the Southside community of Washington Park, Montgomery “Monty” Carver had hopes for the best summer ever! Unfortunately, things aren’t going as planned. Monty is struggling to prove to his parents that he’s old enough to be without adult supervision - especially after a very embarrassing incident with a metal detector. Man! So when Monty finds a golden key in Old Lady Jenkins’s sunflowers, he decides he’s going to unravel the key’s mystery all by himself, thank you very much. No parents allowed. Besides, he’s ten years old now, and he’s mastered the perfectly round ‘fro! (It takes a protractor, you see.) Soon Monty’s hunt to determine the origin of the key leads him to discover the rich history—like famous Black jockeys!—of his Chicago community, which has been speculating its future since one of their residents, Barack Obama, is running for president and the Olympics might come to town in 2016.
  
  On top of all that speculating, there are rumors going around that a ghost is hanging out behind their apartment building, and that Monty’s elementary school may have to close. So much to solve! Should the Olympics come to Washington Park? What happens if his school closes? Is there really a ghost? And where, oh where, did the key come from anyway? Monty is determined to find out."

Get Sora Ready for the New School Year!

Below are some tips to ensure your district's Sora collection is ready to welcome students back:

OverDrive Max

• Thousands of Scholastic titles now available in OD Max! – Avoid waits/holds on titles like “Smile,” “Dog Man,” and “The Hunger Games” for $.20 a checkout!
• Shop the Back-to-School Sale - Starting on August 12th, take advantage of this sale to expand your collection, renew expiring titles, and maximize your budget. 

For Your New and Returning Staff Members

• Refresh your knowledge and train new staff - Share the easy-to-follow Sora and Marketplace self-paced curriculums with your team.  
• Spread the Word - Use the “Get off the Ground” marketing kit to promote your library's offerings. Think of this as your beginner’s guide to promoting your collection! 

Prep Your Collection

• Update Marketplace admin accounts  
• Review your holds report, weed expired titles, and update your curated collections. Our partners at Sora can help you to remove old holds!
• Purchase Class Set titles for required reading.  
• Sign up for Sora Bookshelf Service to save time and energy throughout the school year.  

For assistance? 

• If any help is needed or you have a specific list of titles you want to make available to your students, email our new IU13 Sora Account Manager, Ben Kowalczyk at bkowalczyk@overdrive.com

Wrap up the 2024 School Year with Sora!

IU13 School Librarians - Watch this short 3-minute video to prepare you for summer break reading with Sora!

Content Updates 

• Don't miss out on Sora's current and upcoming sales:
  •  Yay! For YA Sale: ends May 31
  • Audiobook Sale: from June 1 – 30
• Work with teachers to compile lists of books that will be used for Summer Reading. Create links to these specific titles or entire lists so students know what to read while away from school.

 
Promote Sora Sweet Reads

• Tell your students and staff about our annual, free summer reading program, available now until August 26th.
• Does your school have a newsletter? Include a blurb about Sora Sweet Reads and click the link above for more print ready, promotional materials.

Sora / Training Updates 

• Learn about the latest update, Read to Me. Students can now highlight a portion of the text and have it read aloud. Watch the full how-to video here.
• Check out the Sora Accessibility page to learn other ways to support your students' specialized reading needs with Sora
• Sign up for our Sora Bursts for a Professional Development opportunity this summer that meets you on your time.

For assistance? 

• If any help is needed or to have a specific list of titles you want to make available to your students, email our IU13 Sora Account Manager, Meredith Wemhoff, at mwemhoff@overdrive.com

Sora Sweet Reads kicks off on May 13!

This year’s selection from Sora is a mix of more than 100 ebooks (and select audiobooks) spanning grades K-12 – available for FREE AND SIMULTANEOUS USE until August 26. All titles will be prominently displayed on your school’s Sora Explore page – with the option to weed out the collection as needed. There are 146 Elementary titles, along with 16 titles for both middle and high school.

How to get started?

• View the Sora Sweet Reads 2024 Collection
• Download the new Sora Sweet Reads Kit filled with social graphics and print materials
• If you're a TeachingBooks user, be sure to check out the curated lists for Elementary, Middle, and High School for more resources for your Sweet Reads titles

Reach out to your Sora Account Team with any questions. If you want to opt out of the program, please let your Account Manger know by May 6.

Best Sora Updates of 2023

• Sora has published what they believe to be their six most impactful updates of 2023. They are: 
  1. Premium Reviews in Marketplace
  2. New Languages in Sora
  3. Student Dashboard Updates
  4. Shelf Talkers
  5. Metered Access Manager
  6. Sora Notifications
• Check out their recent blog post - Cheers to the 6 best product updates of 2023! - to learn more about these updates.