TeachingBooks Resources Available to 24 Million Readers with New Statewide Library Systems Added in 2021


Company awarded “Common Sense Selection for Learning” seal for quality and impact

CLEVELAND – February 3, 2022TeachingBooks, an online database of supplemental resources that enrich children’s and young adult books, had a busy year in 2021. In addition to being acquired by OverDrive in October, TeachingBooks announced the signing of four new statewide licenses and one territory license in 2021. TeachingBooks also was awarded the “Common Sense Selection for Learning” as a best-in-class resource for both students and educators.

With the addition of the new licenses, more than 24 million readers at over 55,000 schools, public libraries and higher education institutions can now access TeachingBooks’ curated educational materials. TeachingBooks deepens the learning experience by “bringing books to life” through their database of over 270,000 digital resources, including author interviews, video book trailers, discussion questions and literary games.

The five new licenses signed in 2021 represent more than 7,300 institutions and 2.6 million students. These library systems include:

  • Alabama’s Virtual Library, in partnership with the Alabama State Library and the Alabama State Department of Education
  • American Samoa’s Feleti Barstow Public Library
  • Missouri State Library, in partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 
  • South Carolina State Library’s Discus collection, in partnership with the Department of Education
  • Wyoming State Library’s GoWYLD collection, in partnership with the Department of Education

“When looking for statewide resources, we knew that we wanted to get back to providing something that fostered the love of reading in children and teens and couldn’t be more pleased with the depth and ability to customize content that TeachingBooks provides,” said Robin Westphal, State Librarian for Missouri State Library. “The response from our public libraries and schools has been phenomenal and we look forward to providing the resources to Missourians for a long time.” 

Nick Glass, founder and Head of TeachingBooks, added, “TeachingBooks is designed to be an equity tool. Like the state libraries we partner with, all of us at TeachingBooks are committed to breaking down barriers, providing equitable opportunities, and impactfully serving every reader. Each day we strive to enable readers of children’s and young adult books to immediately receive resources that offer meaningful, personal connections to the titles they are reading.”

TeachingBooks was recently awarded a “Common Sense Selection for Learning” from Common Sense Education, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to helping ensure kids’ digital safety. The Common Sense Selection for Learning recognizes best-in-class media resources and tools that facilitate great learning experiences for students and educators.

“This is a gold seal standard,” said Glass. “Affirmations from organizations with the integrity of Common Sense Education are extraordinary. I’m extremely proud that TeachingBooks’ quest to enrich and deepen everyone’s connections to books and authors has received this recognition.”

TeachingBooks, founded in 2000 and acquired by OverDrive in October 2021, executes more than eight million investigations and searches for schools and libraries each month. The database complements OverDrive Education’s Sora student reading app.

Learn more about TeachingBooks.

About TeachingBooks

TeachingBooks’ mission is to equitably give all readers insights and opportunities that deepen their understanding and joy of children’s and young adult books. TeachingBooks.net and BookConnections.org (the public library interface) provide equal access to quality digital resources with our ever-growing library of 272,000+ materials. With original author interviews, video book trailers, discussion questions, vocabulary lists and interactive games, TeachingBooks brings books to life for communities everywhere. More than 55,000 schools and libraries have received more than 70 million unique investigations and searches since August 2020. Awarded by the American Association of School Librarians as a Best Digital App of 2020 and the 2021 Common Sense Education Selection for Learning in 2021, TeachingBooks was founded in 2000 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin USA. TeachingBooks was acquired by OverDrive in 2021. www.TeachingBooks.net  www.BookConnections.org

About OverDrive Education and the Sora student reading app

OverDrive Education, a division of OverDrive, offers the industry’s largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, digital magazines and other content for over 53,000 K-12 schools and millions of students worldwide. The company’s student reading app, Sora, provides every student with access to the right books. Supporting the need to read required curriculum titles, class sets and pleasure reading digital books, Sora’s powerful learning tools and insights help meet the needs of students and educators. Sora was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2019. Acquired in 2021, TeachingBooks.net complements Sora with one of the largest catalogs of original and curated literary resources. Founded in 1986, OverDrive – the leading digital reading platform for libraries – and OverDrive Education are based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com/schools 

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