New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) said it passed a significant milestone last week after more than 10 million books had been borrowed and 5 million reading hours had been logged by students since the launch of its Citywide Digital Library (CDL) five years ago.
CDL was created in partnership with digital content platform OverDrive – which created Sora, a digital reading platform for schools – and was launched in 2020 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of in-person learning and library access.
The creation of the CDL ultimately aimed to “bridge the digital divide and put high-quality literature directly into students’ hands.”
Students wanting to use the digital library use single sign-on access to browse, borrow, and read available titles.
“With greater access to digital books through platforms like the CDL, we’re strengthening the foundation of literacy in every school and every home,” said Melissa Aviles-Ramos, the chancellor of NYCPS, in a statement. “This milestone also reflects the vision of NYC Reads: to not only get books into students’ hands, but to inspire a city of passionate readers, critical thinkers, and future leaders.”
The digital library provides students with access to more than 61,000 e-books and audiobooks, officials said, adding that use of the platform has grown steadily year-over-year.
Officials attributed that growth to “the growing culture of reading across our school communities.”
“School librarians are critical in fostering student access to the Citywide Digital Library on Sora,” said Lindsay Klemas, coordinator for Queen’s Library. “From helping their own students learn how to search for ebooks and audiobooks, to selecting and curating titles for the digital collection, school librarians are behind the scenes helping all readers across the five boroughs.”
“The Citywide Digital Library on Sora allows NYCPS students and staff across the city to both learn about their word and feel seen,” she added.