2026 Reading Challenge

Happy 2026!

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? 
It's not too late to make a resolution to read more! 

The North Reading High School Media Center is a proud 2026 partner of the Massachusetts Center for the Book statewide reading challenge. I would like to encourage you to participate. If you are a classroom teacher or work with NRHS students in any capacity it would be awesome if you could encourage them to read as well. 

How it works: 

• During the next 12 months, participants (You and your students) read 1 title each month that fits the monthly challenge. 

• After reading a book, fill out this form and summarize the book. 

Print titles, Audiobooks, and eBooks all count as reading! Everyone in the NRHS community can access Sora for eBook and Audiobook content.

• Each month 2 names will be drawn on the last day of the month to win a free book. To qualify, be sure to submit the form before the end of the month. 

• In addition, participants who read a book in each of the 12 months will be entered in a drawing to win 1 of 2 totes filled with books.

Here is the January title category: 

Not sure what to read? Stop by the Media Center and check out the "Sweater Weather" display for some inspiration.

Additional Suggestions for January:

The Educator's News Vault: Free Access to News Databases, US & Global Papers, Plus Magazines like Newsweek

 

Photo by Hümâ H. Yardım on Unsplash

The Media Center subscribes to a number of databases that provide up-to-date access to reliable sources for news and current events. Among these is Infobase's Issues & Controversies, "a multimedia solution that helps students understand contemporary issues, assess different perspectives, distinguish fact from opinion, reach their own conclusions, and build critical thinking and writing skills. It features balanced pro/con articles and primary sources for current events, civics instruction, and class discussion."

Another database from Infobase is World News Digest, offering "350,000+ original articles dating back to 1940, breaking news stories from Reuters, thousands of videos from trusted sources, and other multimedia collections—all ideal for research, critical thinking, and connecting past and present events."

Infobase's Today’s Science features thousands of original articles written by scientists and science journalists in easy-to-understand language, based on the most current peer-reviewed journal articles. The in-depth coverage spans important advances in biology, chemistry, health, environmental science, space, physics, and technology. 

In addition, this school year, we’ve partnered with The Atlantic  to provide unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, scholarly resources, and games for the entire North Reading High School community.  "Since 1857, The Atlantic has been a magazine of ideas, aiming to help readers better understand the world in all its complexity. Our free subscription includes unlimited reading online, narrated articles and podcasts, games, and more." This access is only available on school WiFi, but articles can be printed out to read anywhere!

But wait...there's more! Did you know that you and your students have the ability to view full text newspapers and magazines from around the world with a free BPL eCard and an account with Pressreader? 

Sometimes when discussing a current news event it's helpful to see how the world is reporting the event. Here is an example of some global news coverage reporting the passing of Jane Goodall last week.

Some additional news and current event related titles available via Pressreader include:

The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, El Economista (espanol). EuroNews (francais), Foreign Affairs, The Guardian (USA), The New York Times, Newsweek, El Pais (espanol), Le Pointe (francais), USA Today

Even more content is available via Sora, and PressReader. Please connect with me to learn more. 

Educational Videos and Full-Length Films

Photo by Tech Daily on Unsplash

The Media Center offers a variety of subscriptions to seamlessly integrate both video clips and full-length films into your teaching repertoire. These resources are available to support and enhance your curriculum with dynamic video content. Two additional resources are available for free with a Boston Public Library eCard.

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Classroom Video On Demand's Master Curriculum Video Collection serves the specific needs of students who are preparing for college by providing top-quality video across the entire secondary curriculum, including life skills and guidance.

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Feature Films for Education  “...offers hundreds of full-length feature films for educational instructional purposes. Brought to you in partnership with Global Eagle, this outstanding collection focuses on both current and hard-to-find titles, including dramas, literary adaptations, blockbusters, classics, science fiction, environmental titles, foreign films, social issues, animation studies, Academy Award® winners, and more."

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Swank Motion Pictures’ film streaming platform, Swank K-12 Streaming, offers exclusive access to the largest single library of feature films, documentaries and foreign films available to K-12 schools for instructional support.

A Decline in Reading and What We Can Do About it

                                    

You may have read the Boston Globe article this summer that reported fewer people are reading for fun. As a high school librarian who has personally witnessed this trend over the past several years, this information did not surprise me, although it did make me sad. A recently published article written by linguist Naomi S Barron suggests a correlation between the advanced capabilities of AI in summarizing texts as a contributor to the decline in reading. An increase in the use of social media has also been suggested as a contributing factor. 

So what can we to do? 

• Serve as role models by talking to students about what you might be reading or listening to outside of school

• Post a "currently reading" sign outside your classroom

• Reach out to me so we can arrange a date for your PowerBlock to come to the Media Center to borrow books 

• Remind students that they can borrow eBooks and Audiobooks from Sora, the student reading app. High School educators can also access Sora content! (No cell phone necessary. Students and educators can access borrowed content from their school issued Chromebook or laptop!)  

• Encourage reluctant readers to listen to audiobooks or read graphic novels. Both formats "count" as reading!

• Graphic Novels are available in print format from the high school Media Center. Digital Graphic Novels are available via Sora, and ComicsPlus (BPL)

• Provide opportunities for students to get extra credit points for sharing magazine articles that support the curriculum. Students (and teachers) have full-text access to digital magazines via Sora, PressReader (BPL), Flipster (BPL), and Libby (BPL)

• I'm in the process of compiling a sortable list of digital magazines, topics, and which platform(s) to use to access them. Here is a preview: Which Platform has which content

What suggestions would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments. 

How Can the Media Center Support Your Curriculum?

Boost your students' success with support from the high school Media Center. 

Your school librarian can be an instructional partner, providing print and electronic resource recommendations, tech integration suggestions, and more. 

Monday Media Center Medley for September 8, 2025

 

  Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

Database Updates

Several days ago, the Boston Public Library announced that access to Hoopla will be discontinued on September 30, 2025.  If you are an educator using this service to access content in support of your curriculum please know that I will work with you to find alternatives.

This discontinuation of service follows the previous cuts to statewide database access that was announced by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners back in May 2025. View a list of databases that have been discontinued as well as a list of resources that have been maintained.

The High School Media Center does subscribe to additional databases that support the high school curriculum. In addition, Boston Public Library continues to offer a variety of databases, eBook/Audiobook platforms and streaming services that can be used by educators and learners at the high school level. In the upcoming weeks I will be highlighting department specific resources that can be used to support the curriculum. In the meantime, you can access the North Reading High School Media Center's Database page. If you hover your cursor over any of the icons on the page you can view a description of the resource. Some of the resources on the page are provided by Boston Public Library and require logging in with a BPL eCard. The link for signing up is available as a link on the database page.

Monday Medley: HS Summer Reading Program

 Photo by Link Hoang on Unsplash

The summer reading list for high school students has been published and posted on the Media Center Website. All students need to read at least 2 books over the summer. Students taking AP classes are expected to read additional titles. All of the required titles on the list are available for free through Sora, the student reading app. 

Haven't used Sora yet? Getting started is easy! Watch this short video and follow the print directions below.

Begin by going to soraapp.com 

Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click where it says I have a setup code: 

Enter your setup code and click on the green Get started! button:

Sign in to North Reading High School  (click on the expand more arrow and scroll until you find North Reading High School) then click on the green Sign in using North Reading High School button

Select Login with Google and sign in with your school email address. Once you are signed in click on the menu button on the top right hand side of the page and select the Add a library option (green plus sign) 

type merrimack valley library consortium into the search box labeled Find your library and click on the green This is my library button to add it to your profile. 

You have now added the Flint Memorial Library and all other libraries in the Merrimack Valley area to your Sora account. This enables you to borrow available eBooks and Audiobooks from any of those libraries without needing to have a public library card. 

For subsequent visits you can sign into Sora using Clever and do not have to go through any of the additional steps listed above. Just sign into Clever using the Login with Google option and click on the Sora icon 

To locate the required titles for summer reading be sure that you select the MLS Commonwealth eBook Collection on your profile OR click on the binoculars icon (Explore) at the bottom of the screen and select MLS Commonwealth eBook Collection at the top left hand side of the screen under the word Explore. 

Scroll past the Sora Sweet Reads Collection and find the collection titled NRHS Summer Reading 2021. Click on the title banner to view all of the titles. Many are available in both eBook and Audiobook format. 

Once you have located the required title for your course click borrow to begin reading or listening to your book: