NC KIDS Digital Library Press Release

Contact: Karen Wallace
Phone: (828) 524-3600
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



North Carolina Launches new eBook Sharing Service Specifically for Children
New library consortium enables sharing of Children’s eBooks, audiobooks and video across the state

Children across the state now have access to free eBooks and eAudiobooks through a new program. Designed for kids in pre-K through 4th grade, NC Kids Digital Library includes more than 3,700 eBooks, audiobooks, videos and Read-Alongs. The program is available through Fontana Regional Library locations in Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties, as well as at 85 regional, county and municipal libraries across the state. These materials are instantly available for every child with a library card and internet access via a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

The program is the first of its kind statewide eBook consortium specifically for children. It was created by the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association (NCPLDA) together with OverDrive digital reading platform and the state of North Carolina.

OverDrive’s collection development team chooses the books for the collection, which will continue to grow over time and feature new titles, and selections are reviewed and approved by a committee appointed by the NCPLDA Executive Board. Many eBooks list the reading level and text difficulty to help parents find the right book for their child’s reading ability.

“This content will align with summer reading camps across the state as well as the state’s 3rd grade reading initiative and will provide a significant boost to the many library-school partnerships already in existence," said Ruth Ann Copley, Director of Libraries at Davidson County Public Library System.

Karen Wallace, director of Fontana Regional Library, says, “This initiative has made a valuable resource available to all children in the state. It adds significantly to the total number of eBooks and eAudiobooks for our youngest patrons here in Western North Carolina. As a library, we are thrilled to have more opportunities to connect children with books and the love of reading.”

In Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties, any child or adult with a Fontana Regional Library card can access the NC Kids Digital Library.

NC Kids Digital Library is sponsored by NCPLDA and the NC General Assembly with assistance from the State Library of NC, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Copley, together with Jennifer Sackett, Vice-President of NCPLDA and Library Director of Lincoln County Library, worked with Representative Pat McElraft to secure funding for this project. In July of last year, the 2016 Appropriations Act was signed into law for fiscal year 2016-2017, which included a funding provision for $200,000 for the State Library to work with NCPLDA to create a statewide consortium for all public library cardholders.

For more information, please contact your local Fontana Regional Library location in Macon, Jackson, or Swain County or visit www.fontanalib.org.