Library & Digital Resources

• TeachingBooks and Middle School Readers Webinar
• Public Domain Image Archive
• Creative Book Report Alternatives
• TeachingBooks Chrome Extension
• Indoor Recess Ideas and LIteracy
• Family Feud Template
• Professional Reading

Direct link to the newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/h0764

Celebrate the books students love. Use the resources and tools on TeachingBooks to learn more about authors, cite research, or find the next great read! Register for the March 19 presentation at noon. Register and the recording will be sent to you.

The PDIA collection of 10,046 out-of-copyright works, free for all to browse, download, and reuse was launched earlier this year. This is a living database with new images added every week.

Read more about this collection here.

Image source: https://pdimagearchive.org/

This article includes some alternatives that can transform literature response from a mundane task into an opportunity for creativity, critical thinking, and genuine engagement.

Learn about:

• Animated Book Trailers
• Podcast-Style Book Reviews
• Interactive AR Book Covers
• Literary Art Gallery
• Blackout Poetry or Found Poems
• Character Social Media Profiles
• Alternative Ending or Epilogue
• Newspaper Front Page
• Diary or Letter from a Character's Perspective

Image source.

You can automatically search TeachingBooks directly from Google. Add the TeachingBooks Chrome Extension to seamlessly display relevant search results from TeachingBooks alongside your Google searches.

With this powerful tool, users can Google any subject and instantly produce TeachingBooks results for titles, authors, awards, or booklists in the upper right corner that include:

• Meet-the-Author Recordings
• Video book trailers
• Multi-Leveled Lessons
• Read-along audiobook performances

Download the TeachingBooks Chrome Extension and connect people to books anywhere, any time. If your school would like to deploy this extension to all of your student and building computers, email for the deployment instructions.

Foster creativity and learning with ideas from TeachingBooks that will engage your readers.

• Digital Escape Rooms: Build problem-solving and teamwork skills with themed digital escape rooms.
• Storytime Activity Kits: Pair stories with crafts, games, and discussions to deepen connections to the book.
• Dive into complete book readings.
• Engage with Vooks animated storybooks.
• Jigsaw puzzles: Use book cover images for an educational twist. Students can work solo or in teams to put together puzzles.
• Word finds: Create custom word searches with vocabulary from recent reading materials.
• Concentration: Challenge memory skills with matching games inspired by favorite stories.

Image source: https://forum.teachingbooks.net/2025/01/indoor-recess-ideas/

Here are some resources from Ditch That Textbook to create your own game. Includes templates and links to game show prompts.

Image source.

Navigating Knowledge: Databases as Essential Research Tools for Public Libraries and Schools. January 21, 2025.

While teacher librarians may be familiar with the importance of students knowing how to use databases, this white paper from EBSCO lays out some talking points that may help teachers as they integrate these literacy skills in their instruction.