The library has had e-books for many years for students to do collaborative research, but now the e-books can give students the opportunity to keep reading when libraries are closed or unavailable.

“The collection has not been really used by students until this year, so we are making a bigger effort in making sure that the information is out there,” librarian Cynthia Karabush said.  

Multiple catalogs of e-books are available online at the library webpage. A few catalogs are the Destiny catalog, the Overdrive catalog, and the iRead Illinois catalog. The Destiny catalog holds the majority of the books that the library has as a hardcover book. The Overdrive catalog has e-books that belong strictly to Grayslake North, which every student has a login to. The third catalog offered is iRead Illinois, also called Access 360, and it has a catalog of books that belong to the state of Illinois, so every library across Illinois that takes part in this program has their books listed. To access any of the catalogs, students can use their standard login. 

“I feel like regular books would be easier to use than e-books because I get super distracted and I feel like a lot of kids get super distracted when they are using electronics. So, if you have a normal book in front of you, I feel like it would be easier to focus, “ said junior Peter Weitgenant. 

The library is still allowing students to check out physical copies of the books in the library too. Either Mrs. Nielsen or Mrs. Karabush are in the library every day and can pull the book for students. Then,  they will just leave the copy up at the security desk for a student to come pick up. This will definitely be a benefit for those students who do not like to use e-books. 

E-books are very easy to use and access anywhere and anytime. Students can access them from their phones, computers, or another device. Students can work on their reading assignments on their phone when they are out and about. They could also just use e-books to read for fun anywhere and anytime. 

“The resources would be a lot easier to get to,” Weitgenant said.

Students are also able to get audio books so they can listen to their curriculum books being read to them as they annotate and read along with the recordings. 

“I’ve actually been getting more requests from students for the audio to go with their curriculum novels so they can listen to it being read, ” Karabush said. 

In order to bring more awareness to the e-books and educate students, the library has been meeting with classes in order to show them how to access the e-books and help them with research projects. Teachers can just schedule times with the librarians, and they will gladly go to the class and help teach the students. As well as going to classes, the library is trying to promote e-books as much as they possibly can. 

 “They could have the English teachers promote them or announce them with announcements,” said sophomore Maria Clark.  

When students check out an e-book, it will automatically check itself out for three weeks. After the three weeks, the e-book will turn itself in unless it is renewed. If students are in the overdrive magazine and sign up with email, it will send students an email when the book is about due and will give the option to renew it. 

If students can not access an e-book, Mrs. Karabush can help via email.