The start of another school year can be exciting for students, teachers, and parents alike. It offers a fresh start, a shared enthusiasm for new possibilities, and hope for something even better than the experiences of the previous year. It is also a time when many of the eResources in the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) are updated with new content and features.

PebbleGo

For our earliest learners, PebbleGo still has an engaging read-aloud aspect, visual breadcrumbs, and a hover tool to assist nonreaders with navigation. However, there are several new articles to explore in the Social Studies area of this eResource. Just in time for November, under the U.S. Government section, is Elections, where learners can better understand terminology like ‘democracy’ as well as the process of and the difference between local and federal elections. Additionally, students can find new content on Colonization, Indigenous Nations, Indigenous Peoples Today, and the Olympic Games.

Britannica

Rich with new and updated articles, images, and video clips (added daily), Britannica School Elementary and Britannica School Middle articles deliver a refreshed format that is more appealing and accessible for young learners. Additionally, these Britannica products offer students interactive slide shows, quizzes at the end of articles, and a new navigator feature. Users can also translate articles into 100 languages as well as use the OpenDyslexic font with one simple click. Finally, there is a brand new Teach Britannica section with flexible mini-lesson ideas as well as integrated academic toolkits to foster essential research proficiencies.

eBook Collections

The EBSCO eBook collections have undergone interface changes in the past few months, but all the great features such as Google integration, citation, and search within are still there. New titles—especially nonfiction—are the most notable additions to these collections. In the eBook K-8 Collection find 2023 titles such as Taxes, What Are Clouds Made Of, and Modern Art for Kids. New favorites from the eBook High School Collection include STEAM Careers in the Military, Gig Jobs in the Creative Arts, and Buildings that Breathe: Greening the World’s Cities.

If your school or library staff would like free training on the MeL eResources that support K-12 learners throughout Michigan, sign up at https://mcls.org/melrequest.

If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact [email protected] for help.