MeL Minute

MeL Minute: eBooks K-8 and NoveList (Diverse Texts)

Simplify the Struggle to Find Books for EVERY Learner

The Michigan eLibrary offers a lot to support early literacy learning. There are several connections between MeL and early literacy efforts in libraries and schools.

Are you familiar with the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy?  The purpose of the early literacy essentials is to improve children’s literacy in Michigan.  The K-3 Essentials are one of many guiding practices that can have a positive impact on literacy development. They also offer some strategies that the MeL eResources can support. 

Essential #8 outlines the need for “abundant reading material and reading opportunities in the classroom.”  In fact, five key areas are stressed:

The classroom includes:

• a wide range of books and other texts, print, audio, and digital, including information books, poetry, and storybooks that children are supported in accessing;
• books and other materials connected to children’s interests and that reflect children’s backgrounds and cultural experiences, including class- and child-made books;
• books children can borrow to bring home and/or access digitally at home;
• comfortable places in which to read books, frequently visited by the teacher(s) and by adult volunteers recruited to the classroom;
• opportunities for children to engage in independent reading of materials of their choice every day, with the teacher providing instruction and coaching in how to select texts and employ productive strategies during reading, feedback on children’s reading, and post-reading response activities including text discussion.

eBook Collection

With over 12,000 eBook titles available at their fingertips (including Diary of a Wimpy Kid!), it is easy to point users to the eBook K-8 Collection in MeL. This will “give students access to a wide-range of books” and have them “access books digitally at home.”  One aspect of Essential #8 that is a bit more challenging for teachers, librarians and students to identify is “include books and other materials connected to children’s interests and that reflect children’s backgrounds and cultural experiences.”  How does one go about doing that?  Is there a standard list that identifies whether characters are from an African, Asian, homeschool or LGBTQ background?  What about lists of books with Native American heritage, children with disabilities or those who might be on the Autism Spectrum? 

Reader’s Advisory Support

With NoveList K-8 Plus and NoveList Plus, it has never been easier to make selections based on diversity.  Simply go to the eResource list in MeL, open either database and select All Kinds of Lives, located in the left-hand navigation. (In NoveList Plus, you must be in the age range of zero to teen for it to display).

Using this reader’s advisory tool can simplify the struggle to find books that support EVERY learner in your classroom, library or community.

Brought to you by Ann Kaskinen from the MeL Team.
#IMLSGrant