California libraries to provide free access to Scholastic BookFlix no comments
Library patrons in California will have free access to BookFlix from computers at their local library or from home, according to a press release from Scholastic.
BookFlix is a program intended for classrooms and libraries from Scholastic that pairs award-winning video from Weston Woods based on children’s picture books with related nonfiction ebooks from the Scholastic catalogue. Young readers can watch a video version of their favorite story book and then find related material in the accompanying ebooks.
Currently BookFlix features 95 fiction/nonfiction pairings, 25 of which are also available in Spanish, with more titles in the works. The program is designed for children in grades Pre-K3.
Some of the features of BookFlix include:
- A "read-along" option that provides word-by-word highlighting so children can follow along as the fiction video is narrated and the nonfiction ebook is read aloud.
- Narrated text and definitions of key vocabulary words to support beginning and reluctant readers, as well as English Language Learners;
- Educational games and activities that encourage children to show what they have learned and to reinforce early reading skills like fluency, vocabulary development and reading comprehension;
- Biographies and interviews that introduce young readers to their favorite authors; and
- Safe, age-appropriate web links to encourage children to further explore topics that pique their interest.
"BookFlix connects the library to the home," said Hugh Roome, President of Scholastic Library Publishing. "In adopting BookFlix, California is making cutting-edge e-reading technology available to families anywhere they have an Internet connection, and providing a tool that introduces young readers to classic books and stories in new, 21st Century formats."
Update: It might be hard to find the link to this on your library’s site — I finally tracked down the BookFlix link at the Los Angeles library, which I use, thanks to one of the helpful state librarians.
