Teachers often request simultaneous use ebooks. They are available in FIVE places. Axis 360 has some in the Shared Pool level. Three online databases also have ebooks that multiple students can read at the same time for free: National Geographic, World Book and Ebsco Ebooks. Another service, TumbleBooks, is considered a streaming service because it also includes video and games in addition to the simultaneous use ebooks.
NatGeo Kids has more than 600 current, high quality nonfiction titles about, for examples, animal behavior, habitats, and dinosaurs. National Geographic Virtual Library, for older readers, has just over 300 nonfiction books, mostly about other countries.
World Book ebooks are an underutilized treasure trove. For example, Gutenberg classics – books no longer covered by copyright. Like the entire works of Shakespeare. You can also find many of the nonfiction series books about history, animals, the military, math, and science.
Ebsco, has a wide range of nonfiction, including many series such as the Blastoff! Discovery series. While not as easy an interface for younger kids to search, teachers can create links to the books and all students will have to do is login their library card number to get to the book.
IndyPL’s Axis 360 is focused on engaging reading, while the three databases mentioned here are focused on informational reading.
TumbleBooks tries to inform and engage. Most, though not all, of their titles are aimed at younger grade readers. Resource teachers especially like them because they can be read out loud with a touch of the Play button! Tumblebooks highlights the sentences as they are read.