February. What can I say about it that hasn’t been already said? Here in the Midwest, it’s grey. It’s cold. On any given day it might be raining, snowing, or some secret third thing (…both).

It’s the shortest month, but it feels like the longest (and even longer in 2024, thanks leap year!). Spring is just close enough to anticipate, but too far away to get truly enthused.

My personal feelings about this final sprint of winter aside, it’s not all doom and gloom. Sometimes it’s kind of nice to look out the window and have a ready-made excuse to stay in, curled up under a blanket with something from your TBR list (or whatever’s streaming on Netflix – no shame!).

If you have some down time (don’t laugh – it could happen!), this can also be a good opportunity to catch up on any pending professional development to-dos you might’ve had on your list.

And if you’re racking your brains trying to come up with ways to GET your PD hours, you’re in luck – the Training Team has just the thing (or three!).

They might not make spring and summer come any faster – but they can help make sure those unchecked to-do list items don’t come back to haunt you right when you’re ready to say “see ya!” to another school year.

Check them out below!

(And remember: If you attend a webinar, be sure to complete a post-webinar assessment to earn a certificate of completion!)

1. Sora Essentials: The Reader Experience

Wednesday, Feb. 21
9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Duration: 30 minutes
Register

Ready to learn the basics of Sora so you can start exploring and help others get started, too? Join us live for our demo and ask questions of our K-12 experts.

This session is primarily a demonstration of the user experience in Sora, the student reading app. Students and educators have access to all of the same great features within the app. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

  • Sign in with your school credentials
  • Browse, borrow, and enjoy ebooks & audiobooks
  • Personalize the reading experience with adjustable settings
  • Define words & create annotations
  • And more!

2. Marketplace Essentials: The Shopping & Admin Portal

Thursday, Feb. 22
9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Duration: 30 minutes
Register

Ready to learn the basics of Marketplace, the shopping and administrative portal? Join us live for our demo and ask questions of our K-12 experts.

This session is primarily a demonstration of OverDrive Marketplace, the shopping and administrative portal. We’ll explore Marketplace through the lens of a first-time user, including how to:

  • Browse the catalog
  • Build and purchase a cart
  • Assign a title
  • Run a report and view Sora activity
  • Access your account team’s contact information

*Access to Marketplace requires a separate account and unique user permissions. Please contact your OverDrive Account Manager with any questions!

3. Sora For Every Reader Self-Paced Training

If a webinar isn’t the right fit, then maybe a self-paced learning module will do the trick! This month, the spotlight is on accessibility with the Sora For Every Reader module.

Learn how you can engage your readers on a deeper level and support accessibility needs for students and staff across your school community – and do it all at your own pace!