By: Sydney Kalnay, Training Manager

Many of you are already back in the building for the 2023-24 school year – and the rest of you aren’t far behind. While your Sora team has been cheering you on behind the scenes this summer with webinars, blog posts, updated how-to videos, and modules, we wanted to show our support this fall with some quick, practical tips for you – yes you!  

No matter if you’re in the classroom, in the library, or in the office, there’s a way to use Sora to get your students reading. 

Tip #1 – Share a direct link in Sora

Have a great digital collection? Make sure your staff and students know! You can share a direct link to a specific title, collection, or even your school’s Sora login page.  

Learn how to share a direct link to a title, collection, or the Sora login page.  

  • Educators: Use these steps to point students to an all-class read or recommended title. You can paste the link anywhere you typically share links: on your syllabus, in an LMS, or on your class website. 
  • Librarians: Show off your favorite digital collections just like you would books in your physical library. Once you’ve curated your most eye-catching picks, post a QR code in your library or on the school website reminding students that Sora is open 24/7 – even when the physical library is closed. 
  • Admins: Direct links are perfect for sharing a PD collection with staff, posting on social media what you’re reading this fall, or helping new faculty get logged into Sora. 

Tip #2 – Check your stats

In Sora, students can check their reading stats, including the number of books opened, number of minutes spent reading, and more. They can also track any achievement badges they’ve earned while performing new tasks in Sora, like returning a title early or trying a new genre. 

Staff with Marketplace permissions can see key Sora statistics to review the health of your digital collection at any time or compile data for meetings and other reporting scenarios.  

  • Educators: Demonstrating the Me tab in Sora is a great way to help students set their reading goals for the year. Encourage students to earn a specific badge, increase the number of minutes spent reading over time, or tackle that TBR pile.  
  • Librarians: Peek at the Sora activity tab in Marketplace to see what your top 10 highest circulating titles are and, from there, consider curating a collection of read-alikes or promoting some backlist titles that are similar to those popular reads.  
  • Admins: Put the “fun” in “funding” by easily grabbing the data and visuals you need for your next budget report or PD Day. Pro-tip: you can change the ranges on your Insights tab in Marketplace to include just the dates you need for reporting on your digital collection. 

Tip #3 – Use the back-to-school Resource Center page

Your Sora Marketing, Training, and Collection Development teams got together to make back-to-school a breeze with our comprehensive back-to-school page on our Resource Center. 

This page has amazing resources for you, no matter what your role is. Here are a few of our favorites: 

  • View our top Training resources for teachers, librarians, and admins – easily linked by audience! 
  • Download the Get off the Ground marketing kit – your beginner’s guide to promoting your collection! 
  • Shop the Back-to-School Sale – the best time to save on digital books for your students! 
  • Curate fun and engaging curated lists for all members of your school community!  

Plus, find resources for checking access levels, grant-writing, accessibility in Sora, and more! 

We hope these tips get you off the ground with Sora this fall, and we look forward to hearing all about your success. 

Happy reading.