Community Partnership Opens A World Of Reading For Beaverton School District Students

Press release from the City of Beaverton:

May 27, 2020

Beaverton, Oregon – The Beaverton School District (BSD), Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) and the City of Beaverton have partnered with local public libraries to expand access to library materials and resources via the public library Youth Access Card (YAC).
Staff at Aloha Community Library, Beaverton City Library, Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries, Garden Home Community Library, and West Slope Community Library worked to create over 30,000 new library cards for students. Additionally, they made certain that most of the 10,000 students who already had library cards could use them by forgiving fines and renewing library card expiration dates. BSD students who did not already have a public library card received YAC cards from November 2019 to February 2020.
This special library card allows students to check out up to five print books or audiobooks from any one of the sixteen WCCLS library locations. Children’s materials at WCCLS libraries do not have overdue fines.
The timing of this project could not have been better. “The advent of the WCCLS Youth Access Cards for each student in BSD has been a total game changer,” said Jen Blair, BSD District Librarian. “The increased access to resources and eBooks is so needed right now. We are very, very lucky. Thank you, WCCLS!”
During the current closure of school and library buildings, students have many opportunities at their fingertips with the new cards.
Online Homework Help - Free tutoring every day, 1-10 p.m.
Kanopy Streaming Video - Twenty credits per month to stream; kids titles have unlimited streaming.
eBooks & eAudiobooks - Listen to and read books on your device for free. WCCLS has added more always-available and Spanish titles and will continue to add new items.
Tumblebooks - View and listen to animated talking books.
Mango Languages - Learn another language. Mango features 70 languages.
WCCLS is enthusiastic to support students during this time, “We’re always looking for new ways to engage our young patrons. Particularly now, when online resources are so essential for students’ education and enrichment," stated WCCLS Manager, Lisa Tattersall.
“We’re very excited to be partnering with the county and school district on this important initiative to get library materials to students,” said Beaverton City Library Director, Glenn Ferdman.
Students were invited to watch the educational video “Youth Access Card introduction for the Beaverton School District” youtu.be/vhU2fgoBTOQ to learn about what is provided with their new card.
For students needing help using the Youth Access Card for the first time, call or email your local BSD area public library, Monday - Friday:
Aloha Community Library by email/voicemail: 503-259-0185; info@alohalibrary.org
Beaverton City Library by email/phone: 503-350-4001; BCLref@BeavertonOregon.gov in English and Spanish
Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries by email/voicemail: 503-644-0043, 503-617-7323; library.cedarmill.org/contact/
Garden Home Community Library by email/voicemail: 503-245-9932; form at www.gardenhomelibrary.org
West Slope Community Library: email/phone: 503-292-6416; westslope@wccls.org
Don’t have a library card? Apply for a WCCLS E-Access library card online now and gain immediate access to download eBooks and eAudiobooks and access online resources: https://www.wccls.org/online-c...
While library buildings are closed, BSD area public libraries continue to serve students and families with the following services and much more, all available without a library card:
Aloha Community Library www.alohalibrary.org
Virtual Events for kids, teens, and adults
Summer Reading starts June 1. Visit alohalibrary.org/info-by-age/summer-reading/
Beaverton City Library www.BeavertonLibrary.org/BCLAt...
Virtual Events for kids, teens, and adults
Craft, STEM & Story Videos - Visit our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/c/BeavertonCit... to see our librarians share stories and crafts to do at home.
Summer Reading starts June 1. Visit www.BeavertonLibrary.org/SRP for details.
Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries library.cedarmill.org
Read-alouds and other videos: www.youtube.com/user/CedarMill...
New IRLA Tag includes how to search for tags in BiblioCommons, along with booklists of eBooks by IRLA level: library.cedarmill.org/kids/booklists/leveled/
Summer Reading starts June 1. Visit library.cedarmill.org/summer-reading for details.
Garden Home Community Library www.gardenhomelibrary.org
Virtual Events for kids, teens, and adults
Family Karaoke Online - Families can call or connect with video chat to this Zoom program to sing together on Saturday night, twice a month.
Summer Reading starts June 1. Visit www.gardenhomelibrary.org/read... for details.
West Slope Community Library www.westslopelibrary.org
Book A Librarian service - Book us for 30 minutes to get help with your questions.
Virtual Events for kids, teens, and adults, including OBOB Book Club and Yoga with Maddie Adams series.
Summer Reading starts June 1. Visit www.westsloplibrary.org for details.

This press release was produced by the City of Beaverton . The views expressed here are the author’s own.