Just because the libraries are closed, we still have access to books in digital and audio formats. Find resources to download books, take advantage of free library resources and more here.
Online Books | Storytime | Library Apps and more
Just because the libraries are closed, we still have access to books in digital and audio formats. Below are resources to download books, take advantage of free library resources and more.
Online Books
Apple Books is now offering a ‘stay at home’ collection of free read-alongs for kids, cozy mysteries, and audiobooks.*
Book Creator is a simple tool for creating awesome digital books. The site is offering everyone the ability to collaborate together on books in real-time. This is a premium feature that is usually only available with a paid subscription, but they are offering 90 days free use of this tool to help keep students and teachers connected.*
Epic is offering FREE worldwide Remote Student Access to Epic through the end of the school year (June 30th, 2020) by teacher invitation. Instantly access 35,000 of the best books, learning videos, quizzes & more for kids 12 and under.*
International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL)
The ICDL, in partership with the University of Maryland, promotes tolerance and respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the world.
Internet Sacred Text Archive (ITSA)
Dedicated to religion, mythology, and folklore, the ISTA online collection provides access to hundreds of sacred texts online. Its mission is to promote religious diversity, tolerance, and scholarship. On the site, you will find versions of the Bible, Talmud, Vedas, Qur’an and more.
My Virtual Literary Festival (MYVLF)
MYVLF is the free global virtual literary festival, connecting readers with authors. Their online event space gives readers access to the best of today’s literature and fiction from internationally based traditional and independently published authors.
Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read the books online. You will find the world’s great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired.
Riveted by Simon Teen, hosted by Simon & Schuster, is an online community for anyone that loves young adult fiction! You can read YA books for FREE, discover your new favorite books and authors, enter for the chance to win new and upcoming releases, and more!
Scribd is now offering a 30-day free membership during the COVID-19 crisis. Enjoy an unlimited number of books, audiobooks, magazines, and more.
Every summer, AudioFile offers SYNC, a free summer audiobook program for teens 13+. The program, which starts on April 30th for 13 weeks, gives participants two thematically paired audiobooks a week at no cost!
For as long as schools are closed, kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids. All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.
Storytime
Country music legend, Dolly Parton, will be reading a children’s book for bedtime in a series entitled “Goodnight with Dolly” each Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.*
Join the Atlantic White Shark Conservatory on Facebook Live at 10 a.m ET. every day to listen to a new shark story and Q&A.*
If you need to mix up your bedtime story routine a little bit, the Global Space Education Foundation has just the thing for you: Story Time in Space. It’s exactly what it sounds like — astronauts on various missions in space read popular children’s books and share with kids way down on Earth.
Josh Gad, who voices Olaf in Frozen, is reading children’s books to families around the world via his Twitter page each night during the outbreak of coronavirus.*
Storyline Online streams videos featuring celebrated actors, such as Oprah Winfrey, Betty White and James Earl Jones, reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.
Library Apps
Many libraries offer online learning/resources, such as downloading your favorite magazine (People, Time, etc.), learning a new language, studying for the SAT, accessing online courses, and downloading ebooks and audiobooks. All for free!
If you can’t find the resources at your library, most states allow you to register online for a library card at any branch with a home address located in that state. Different library systems have different resources available.
Overdrive/Libby
Borrow eBooks, audiobooks and videos from thousands of public libraries worldwide. Borrowers are able to download books to your Kindle app. Each library has its own book borrowing limits.
Cloud Library (formerly 3M Cloud Library)
Borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. eBooks can be downloaded within the app or through Kindle or Nook.
Acorn TV
Acorn TV streams world-class mysteries, dramas, and comedies from Britain and beyond, including a full slate of original and exclusive programming.
Ancestry
Ancestry® Library Edition delivers billions of records in census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more. Ancestry brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library.
AudioBookCloud
AudioBookCloud is a curated database of streaming audio books, The growing collection features over 1200 titles, including dozens of genres and interest levels. The collection includes popular literature, classics, children’s and teen books, mystery, sci-fi, history, biography, and more!
Creative Bug
Creativebug.com has thousands of award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists.
Culturegrams
Discover the daily life, culture and traditions of people from around the world. It includes photo galleries, brief videos and typical recipes for each country.
Flipster
Access full digital copies of your favorite magazines on your computer, tablet or mobile device.
Freegal
Download up to five MP3 music files every week and stream up to three hours of music and music videos each day
Gale Courses
Six-week courses in business, health and wellness, photography, creative writing and much more.
The Great Courses
The Great Courses Library Collection is the leading global media brand for lifelong learning and personal enrichment, with hundreds of courses spanning thousands of in-depth video lectures on subjects like Science, Health & Wellness, and much more.
Hoopla
Stream movies, television shows, music, eBooks, audiobooks, and comics to your computer or mobile device. Includes workout videos and The Great Courses.
Hoonuit
A video-based how-to training resource, Hoonuit opens up unlimited access to thousands of short videos covering more than 500 of today’s most popular software applications on both PCs and Macs.
Instant Flix
Enjoy over 7,000 high-quality shorts, features, documentaries, classic TV shows and Web series from 85 countries. View films from major festivals all over the world, including Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, and more!
Kanopy
Stream award-winning documentary and educational videos and indie and foreign films.
KidsInfobits
Text, images, charts and graphs, and educational videos from books, magazines, and news periodicals on interesting and important facts with connections to current and past events
KnowledgeCity
KnowledgeCity is an online training platform that offers over 12,000 video tutorials in business skills, computer software, and safety compliance.
Lynda.com
Learn software, creative, and business skills to achieve your personal and professional goals.
Mango Languages
Mango prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages
Mometrix
Unlimited access to test preparation materials for over 1,000 different standardized exams. Access study guides and practice questions for exams including the GED, SAT, ACT, TEAS, HESI, Praxis, TOEFL, career and technical certification.
Novelist
Book recommendations for adults and children by genre, theme and age.
Qello
Watch the world’s largest collection of full-length performances, concert films, and music documentaries.
RBDigital
RBdigital puts the best entertainment and information at your fingertips. Now you can check out and enjoy your favorite audiobooks, magazines, and eBooks from your local library–all in one app.
Rosetta Stone
Free access to Rosetta Stone software to learn a new language
Signing Savvy
A sign language video dictionary and learning resource that contains American Sign Language (ASL) signs, finger-spelled words, and other common signs.
TeenBookCloud
TeenBookCloud is an online collection of ebooks, enhanced novels, graphic novels, videos and audio books, which offers students and adults of all reading levels access to an amazing range of content.
Transparent Languages
Over 100 foreign language courses are available that can help you learn languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. There’s also an ESL component that provides English language learning to speakers of over 25 different languages.
Tumblebooks
TumbleBookLibrary has over 1100 titles for grades K-6, and includes unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. Plus, the collection features Graphic Novels – a student favorite!
Tutor.com
Free online tutoring help for students which includes Princeton Review resources for ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT.
Udemy
Take online, video led courses through Udemy. Over 2,000 classes to choose from, including but not limited to: back-end and front-end programming, marketing, leadership, software security, and American Sign Language
Universal Class
Universal Class is the place to continue your education online and fulfill all your lifelong-learning goals. Over 500 courses available including arts and crafts, yoga, personal development, business, entrepreneurship, parenting and so much more!
The mission of the IDEALS Institute is to improve lives by ensuring that all people have access to transformative child and adult care, education, health, and social service systems and practices.
*denotes resources that are specific to the outbreak and may not be available when the crisis is over.