Launching an Ereader program in a school library

Last spring, I spoke on a panel of YA authors to a group of students at Everett High School. The school district allocated funding for 12 Ereaders to each school. Before the author visit, the high school librarian bought a dozen copies of STAINED GLASS SUMMER and loaded the book on the school’s Ereaders. I was thrilled!

However, one of the things I hear from school librarians are questions about logistics for Ereaders. How do the kids check them out? Do they load the Ereaders up with themed book sets? Or individual books? What if the school doesn’t really have a way for kids to check out Ereaders? Can they partner with the public library?

There is an excellent article in School Library Journal this month by Travis Jonker. entitled, “Travis’s Excellent (Ereader) Adventure.” Travis is an elementary school librarian and blogs at 100 Scope Notes. In the article, Travis answers many of the above listed questions as well as discussing the pros and cons to starting an Ereader program at a school. I’d highly recommend this article to anyone considering starting an Ereader program at their school.

One of the resources provided in the article is a place to find grants for educators called FableVision. You can subscribe to their newsletter to be notified of new grant opportunities. I am always looking for places which offer grants for the Juvenile Detention Writing Workshop, and this looked like a fabulous resource.

Here is the link to “Travis’s Excellent Ereader Adventure” article.