[CASL-L] OverDrive/Sora Lending Models

Szilagyi, Nella nszilagyi at wethersfield.me
Thu Jan 7 10:07:10 PST 2021


I've seen a few questions about OverDrive lending models and Sora
usability- so I thought I would repost this in case you find it helpful. It
reviews the OverDrive lending models and my experiences with the Follett
ebook apps.

Hi - to follow up on what Melissa said, our district uses Sora from
OverDrive for our k-12 students. We love Sora. For several reasons:

   1. Easy access- Our students and staff can log into Sora using their
   school login credentials.
   2. Easy to use- device agnostic and syncs across devices so that users
   can easily pick up where they left off
   3. Easy access to the public library OverDrive account with a public
   library card- just add the public library
   <https://help.soraapp.com/en-us/5028.htm?Highlight=add%20public%20library>in
   settings. NEW: You can work with your public library and participate in
   OverDrive's Public Library Connect so that your students can add the public
   library to Sora and access both your district and public library OverDrive
   collection at once.
   4. Bookmarking, highlighting, and annotation tools
   5. Various lending models
   <https://help.marketplace.overdrive.com/7011.htm>to help you maximize
   your collection and increase student access to books
   [image: SORA (1).jpg]

The downsides are:

   1. Not all books are available in digital formats, but this is true for
   all digital book vendor/platforms
   2. Some books are very expensive and not available in class sets or CPC
   lending model.
   3. Currently, the Sora app itself does not incorporate text to reader
   features and it doesn't support the use of many of the existing text to
   reader apps due to the DRM, except for Snap&Read
   <https://learningtools.donjohnston.com/product/snap-read/> which is not
   free

While I really like Follett's catalog and print book services, I did not
find the Follett ebook platform as user-friendly and reliable as
OverDrive's at the time, especially since OverDrive introduced the Sora App
specifically for schools. I would love to learn more about Mackin's digital
book program, but right now I can't see why WPS would pursue that as we've
been with OverDRive for 7 years and our public library is with OverDrive as
well.


                                 Note email address change:
nszilagyi at wethersfield.me

Nella Szilagyi
Wethersfield High School Library Media Center
<https://wps.wethersfield.me/schools/wethersfield-high-school/media-center>
, Teacher-Librarian
Wethersfield High School Interact Club
<https://sites.google.com/wethersfield.me/whs-interact-club/home>,
Co-Advisor
860-571-8284


On Thu, Jan 7, 2021 at 10:37 AM <casl-l-request at mylist.net> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. TAR: A Lesson Before Dying in Spanish (Joan Temple)
>    2. Purchasing Advice Needed... (Sarah Dolan-Adamec)
>    3. Re: TAR: A Lesson Before Dying in Spanish (Oosterwyk, Annie)
>    4. Re: Purchasing Advice Needed... (STEPHANIE PATTERSON)
>    5. OverDrive/SORA (Paul Pinette)
>    6. Re: Purchasing Advice Needed... (Cheryl Robertson)
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Joan Temple <templej at region-12.org>
> To: casl list serv <casl-l at mylist.net>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 10:01:31 -0500
> Subject: [CASL-L] TAR: A Lesson Before Dying in Spanish
> Hi All,
>
> Does anyone have *A Lesson Before Dying* or *The Things They Carried *in
> Spanish or know where to find them for purchase?
>
> Joan Temple
> Library Media Specialist / VHS Site Coordinator
> Grades 6 -12
> Shepaug Valley School Library <http://svslibrary.region-12.org>
> 159 South Street
> Washington, CT  06793
> 860-868-6232
>
> Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. ~Mason
> Colley
> Currently reading (fiction): *This Is How It Always Is *by Laurie Frankel
> Currently reading (nonfiction): *The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising
> Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness* by Sy Montgomery
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Sarah Dolan-Adamec <SDolan-Adamec at griswoldpublicschools.org>
> To: "CASL-L at mylist.net" <CASL-L at mylist.net>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 15:20:57 +0000
> Subject: [CASL-L] Purchasing Advice Needed...
>
> Hi Everyone J
>
>
>
> I have some insurance claim money that needs to be spent ASAP on digital
> and/or printed books.
>
>
>
> ·         What lists or resources would you consult to make book
> purchases?
>
> ·         Which digital book platforms to you recommend that would not involve
> a subscription?
>
> ·         Have you honestly found that students are taking advantage of
> digital books? Which grade level?
>
>
>
>
>
> I really appreciate your advice!!
>
>
>
> J Sarah
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Oosterwyk, Annie" <oosterwyka at northstonington.k12.ct.us>
> To: Joan Temple <templej at region-12.org>, casl list serv <casl-l at mylist.net
> >
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 15:22:13 +0000
> Subject: Re: [CASL-L] TAR: A Lesson Before Dying in Spanish
>
> The Things They Carried is available on Amazon.  I didn’t see the other
> title.
>
>
>
> *From:* CASL-L [mailto:casl-l-bounces at mylist.net] *On Behalf Of *Joan
> Temple
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 07, 2021 10:02 AM
> *To:* casl list serv
> *Subject:* [CASL-L] TAR: A Lesson Before Dying in Spanish
>
>
>
> Hi All,
>
>
>
> Does anyone have *A Lesson Before Dying* or *The Things They Carried *in
> Spanish or know where to find them for purchase?
>
>
>
> Joan Temple
>
> Library Media Specialist / VHS Site Coordinator
>
> Grades 6 -12
>
> Shepaug Valley School Library <http://svslibrary.region-12.org>
>
> 159 South Street
>
> Washington, CT  06793
>
> 860-868-6232
>
> *Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.* ~Mason
> Colley
>
> Currently reading (fiction): *This Is How It Always Is *by Laurie Frankel
>
> Currently reading (nonfiction): * The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising
> Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness* by Sy Montgomery
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: STEPHANIE PATTERSON <spatterson at southingtonschools.org>
> To: Sarah Dolan-Adamec <SDolan-Adamec at griswoldpublicschools.org>, "
> CASL-L at mylist.net" <CASL-L at mylist.net>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 15:26:17 +0000
> Subject: Re: [CASL-L] Purchasing Advice Needed...
> Digital books have yet to take hold here.
>
> If I needed a fast turnaround, I'd look at the Follett's Pick Lists
> (because I already purchase there, and they have several easy to thread
> lists- and they have a service that can create lists for you pretty
> quickly) and I've always had good feedback from Junior Library Guild
> categories.
>
> For HS, Mary Haggerty is going to send me the Follett Picks list materials
> they have for Black/Latinx- and I plan to make some purchases to prepare
> for the new social studies courses required by the state.
>
> We are not circulating books on a regular basis. The library has been
> converted to rows of student desks for assigned study halls with the
> bookcases pushed up against the walls. I hope we are back to something
> closer to the old normal for next year.
>
> Stephanie Patterson
> Southington High School Library
> "Building character with critical thinking, creativity,
>  collaboration and communication."
>
> tel: 860.628.3229 x 11335
> ------------------------------
> *From:* CASL-L <casl-l-bounces at mylist.net> on behalf of Sarah
> Dolan-Adamec <SDolan-Adamec at griswoldpublicschools.org>
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 7, 2021 10:20 AM
> *To:* CASL-L at mylist.net <CASL-L at mylist.net>
> *Subject:* [CASL-L] Purchasing Advice Needed...
>
>
> CAUTION: This message has originated from an External Source. Please use
> proper judgment and caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or
> responding to this email.
>
> Hi Everyone J
>
>
>
> I have some insurance claim money that needs to be spent ASAP on digital
> and/or printed books.
>
>
>
> ·         What lists or resources would you consult to make book
> purchases?
>
> ·         Which digital book platforms to you recommend that would not involve
> a subscription?
>
> ·         Have you honestly found that students are taking advantage of
> digital books? Which grade level?
>
>
>
>
>
> I really appreciate your advice!!
>
>
>
> J Sarah
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Paul Pinette <paulpinette at bristolk12.org>
> To: casl-l <casl-l at mylist.net>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 10:36:32 -0500
> Subject: [CASL-L] OverDrive/SORA
> Good morning,
> We recently started using OverDrive/Sora. What lending model are you using?
>
> Paul J. Pinette
> Library Media Specialist
> Treasurer, Bristol Federation of Teachers
> Bristol Central High School
> 860 584‐7735 ext. 611197
>
> Privileged and confidential. If received in error, please notify me by
> e‐mail and delete the message.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Cheryl Robertson <robertsonc at guilfordschools.org>
> To: Sarah Dolan-Adamec <SDolan-Adamec at griswoldpublicschools.org>
> Cc: "CASL-L at mylist.net" <CASL-L at mylist.net>
> Bcc:
> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 10:37:25 -0500
> Subject: Re: [CASL-L] Purchasing Advice Needed...
> Hi Sarah,
> Happy New Year!  I am currently using Junior Library Guild's Streaming
> Service which has both eBooks and audiobooks with no user limits.  I am
> getting it for half-price because I subscribe to their print subscription
> service, so it was a very affordable tool to try this year.  It's too early
> (just began in December) to say whether or not my students are using it
> much, but it's nice to have a digital service especially this year when my
> library is closed to browsing.
>
> When purchasing books, I rely heavily on SLJ reviews, but I also use
> Common Sense Media, NPR, and the NYTimes Book Review along with the
> Titlewave reviews.
>
> Happy spending!
> Cheryl
>
> On Thu, Jan 7, 2021 at 10:21 AM Sarah Dolan-Adamec <
> SDolan-Adamec at griswoldpublicschools.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Everyone J
>>
>>
>>
>> I have some insurance claim money that needs to be spent ASAP on digital
>> and/or printed books.
>>
>>
>>
>> ·         What lists or resources would you consult to make book
>> purchases?
>>
>> ·         Which digital book platforms to you recommend that would not involve
>> a subscription?
>>
>> ·         Have you honestly found that students are taking advantage of
>> digital books? Which grade level?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I really appreciate your advice!!
>>
>>
>>
>> J Sarah
>> _______________________________________________
>> CASL-L mailing list
>> CASL-L at mylist.net
>> https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l
>>
>
>
> --
> *Cheryl A. Robertson*
> *Teacher Librarian, E.C. Adams Middle School*
> *Click here for homepage
> <http://ams.guilfordschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=232991&type=d>*
>
> *"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty.  It
> should be offered as a gift." ~Kate DiCamillo*
>
> *CURRENTLY READING*
> *One Last Shot *by John David Anderson
> *Of Salt and Shore *by Annet Schaap
> *Superman Smashes the Klan* by Yang and Gurihiru
> *Atomic Habits *by James Clear
>
> *CURRENTLY LISTENING*
> *Did You Ever Have a Family* by Bill Clegg
>
> *RECENTLY FINISHED*
> *Positively Izzy *by Terri Libenson
> *One of Us Is Next* by Karen M. McManus
> *Mrs. Dalloway *by Virginia Woolf
> *Anxious People *by Fredrik Backman
> *TransAtlantic *by Colum McCann
> *Pashmina *by Nidhi Chanani
> *Popular: A Memoir* by Maya Van Wagenen
> *The Midnight Library* by Matt Haig
> *You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington *
>      by Alexis Coe
>
> ------------------------------
>
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