School buses and crossing guards.  The sounds of lockers slamming and school bells ringing.  Perhaps an apple sitting on a teacher’s desk.  Make no mistake about it, school is back in session.  These days most of the chalk boards and projectors have been replaced with Interactive White Boards, and, in some cases, those heavy book bags have become thin and sleek tablet devices to store your reading materials.  Pen and paper is even becoming obsolete as many students now bring laptops to class every day.

However, while technology continues to improve the learning experience, one thing remains constant: The need to be prepared.  For both student and teacher alike preparation still remains the key factor in being ready for the school year.

Here at OverDrive, we have a number of tools that will help ensure that your digital library is prepared to be as successful as the rest of your school year promises to be:

• Use the Online Marketing kit for Schools to make your students and faculty aware of your OverDrive-powered collection by adding a web graphic to your site or printing off promotional materials to pass out.  You can also use the Student Outreach templates to reach out via morning announcements, email notifications, letters to parents and much more.  As a reminder, we can also create customized materials for you.
• Are you looking for ways to implement your digital titles into your curriculum or just a few outreach ideas for your students?  View our school-specific, Education Evolution training on the Online Learning Center.  This 15-minute recording will offer ideas for in-class use of your digital collection as well as offer fun and creative ways to keep your students informed.  At the Learning Center, you can also register for additional trainings and find helpful resources for your faculty, staff and student body.
• Searching for school specific titles to add to your collection?  You can find a customized list of Back to School titles here*.  You can add this full list to your cart or select which titles you’d like to purchase.  While you’re looking at that list in Content Reserve be sure to also sign up for the Children’s and Young Adult version of ContentWire for most up to date information about ongoing sales and the hottest new titles.

*You’ll need to be logged into Content Reserve to view this list.

As a reminder, on top of the above options for improving your collection and awareness, our Collection Development Team will be happy to help create customized lists, tailored to your school and budget, and our Library Partner Services Team will assist with any marketing or outreach initiatives you’d like.  Think of us as your Digital Collection after-school tutors. Now, get back to class!

Adam Sockel is a marketing and outreach associate at OverDrive.