E-book+Specifics

Strategies for Purchasing eBooks
=== There are several ways we plan to fund our library’s eBook reader program. Ideas include: grant money awarded through programs from Target, Amazon, the district's Education Foundation, and others; a percentage of the money raised by holding two book fairs per year; a percentage of the annual library budget; and finally, gift cards (such as Amazon or Kindle gift cards) and other donations from individuals and organizations from the community and Friends of the Library. ===

Reasons for Choosing the Kindle eBook Reader
=== An advantage to choosing the Kindle is that these eBook readers are easy to locate and are readily available for purchase. At this time, the Kindle from Amazon, seems to be the most reasonably priced to establish the eBook reader program at a cost of $139.00 The Kindle also has features available that some of its counterparts do not, including the ability to bookmark several readers’ places on each Kindle and the ability to load the same eBook onto five different Kindles. They also have a text-to-speech feature, which can read English newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to the reader [unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable.] The reader can switch back and forth between reading and listening, and their place is automatically saved. Pages automatically turn while the text is being read, so listening is hands-free. The reader can choose from either male and female voices, which can be sped up or slowed down.There is also a voice guide option, which allows users to listen to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions, and all menu options. Both the text-to-speech and voice guide options would help students who have disabilities to read books on the Kindle that they would not normally be able to read in a regular hard copy book. ===

Policies for Student Checkout
===Students will check out eBook readers in a similar way to the how printed books are checked out. Each Kindle would be bar-coded with its own identity and checked in and out with the same computer system as that for general circulation. However, the eBook reader program would be separated in the system from general circulation. The steps to check out an eBook would be as follows: 1) Student and parent-signed Permission, Responsibility, and Acceptable Use Form, 2) Request eBook reader from Librarian 3) Scan student library card and eBook reader barcode to check out, 4) Kindle may be checked out for two weeks, and 5) Check eBook reader back in with library card and barcode. ===

Selection of eBooks
=== Our first step would be to have students and teachers fill out Kindle eBook Request Forms to gain insight about what materials they would like to have available on the Kindles. This process would begin before the establishment of the program and would allow us to make purchasing decisions. After initial purchases we will continue to collaborate with teachers to make eBook purchases that will help meet curricular needs, as well as purchasing eBooks for students to meet their reading desires. As funds grow for the eBook reader program, we will continue to update and increase the collection. For the 7th grade ASSURE lesson on plant and animal cells, we have chosen to include the following eBook titles: Plant cells [eBook] (#52934K9) by Dowdy, Penny - Crabtree Pub., p2010, c2010,  Animal cells [eBook] (#52946U1) === === by Dowdy, Penny - Crabtree Pub., p2010, c2010, and Cells [eBook] (#52946VX) by Cohen, Marina - Crabtree Pub., p2010, c2010. ===

Methods of Marketing and Communication
===<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-left: 0.25in;">First, we will be sure to become familiar with the Kindle eBook readers. We plan to hold several workshops for staff, to generate interest in the Kindles and so they become familiar with using the devices. This way they are able to help students with the Kindles as needed. We will have several training sessions for students to teach them how to use the Kindles and to explain acceptable use policies. We plan to utilize the library’s website, Facebook page, text message alert system, and blog to get the word out to our students, parents and the public and to generate excitement about the Kindles. We will also use more traditional ways to contact parents, like the school newsletter and PTA or PTO meetings and letters home to give parents more information and explain the checkout procedures, acceptable use policies, and permission forms. ===