Welcome to the end of another school year! As students (and staff) head off for some downtime, I hope everyone’s summers involve fantastic, enjoyable reads. Whether it’s curling up in the shade with a book, reading a magazine on Sora, listening to an audiobook on a road trip (also available on Sora), or cackling over a funny graphic novel, there are lots of ways to read!
Where can we find print books?
First stop, your closest public library! They’re free, have a great selection, and open almost daily! Any DC resident is welcome to use DC Public Library’s print and digital collections with a library card. If you don’t have a card, apply online or swing by a branch with an ID and proof of residency. With or without a card, you can enjoy DCPL’s free programming this summer! Sign up, track your reading and activities, and win some prizes!
DC residents can also join public libraries in neighboring counties! Montgomery County Public Library has two branches very convenient to Chevy Chase: one north on Connecticut Avenue, and one in Bethesda by the Giant. They’ve got a wonderful print collection, and lots of ebooks and audiobooks!
What about free ebooks and audiobooks?
If your reader has been loving ebooks and audiobooks, they can continue enjoying them over the summer! All DCPS students (including middle and high school) have access to Sora, our online collection of ebooks, audiobooks and magazines. Sora is available as an app, works with Kindles and other e-readers, and you can access it in a browser using the link on the Lafayette Tech page, Lafayette Library website, and on Clever. (Use setup code DCPSDC if it prompts them to find their school.) Once your student has logged in, double-check that they’ve added DC Public Library (and any other libraries where you have library cards) by clicking on the upper-right menu. All DCPS students have access to DCPL’s collection; no library card needed! (The first time they try to borrow a book, it’ll prompt them to log into the library; choose DC Public Schools from the drop-down menu and log in through Clever again.) You can watch a walkthrough to help get started!
There are also ebooks and audiobooks available on Destiny Discover, our online library catalog. Students can log in with their username (student ID#) and password (birth date). Link is available on the Lafayette Tech page, Lafayette Library website, and on Clever.
The local public libraries provide access to other ebook and audiobook resources, including Hoopla, TumbleBooks, BookFlix and more. Look on the Lafayette Library website or in the Lafayette summer reading guide for more information on them!
Any book suggestions?
The Lafayette Summer Reading Guide is filled with resources to kick the summer off right! Find suggested (not required) books for every grade, learn strategies for picking your next read, visit other websites to find book suggestions (including a summer list created by other DCPS librarians!), and read about your many options for digital ebooks, audiobooks and magazines.
Have a great summer!
Thanks for going through your bookshelves and finding all those library books! If you find more over the summer, please return them in August. Have a wonderful, safe break!
Happy reading,
Ms. Leese