Today I'm excited to introduce you to BookmarkED, an innovative new platform with a mission to empower parents to personalize school libraries.
Imagine a world where parents can make decisions on the books their children can read, fostering a love for reading and learning.
Picture teachers confidently recommending and providing more personalized books to their students, knowing precisely the learning outcomes they will achieve.
Envision librarians able to simply and efficiently navigate the ever-changing challenged books landscape.
Our platform puts the power into the hands of parents, so that they can decide the individual literary journey for their children, based on their personal values and interests. BookmarkED is designed to create joy in reading, encourage curiosity, and spark a lifelong passion for books.
How BookmarkED works
BookmarkED is a simple to use, streamlined platform that transforms school libraries into personalized learning spaces by giving parents choices on the books their children consume. BookmarkED can also offer alternative book choices to parents, so that they have options for their children.
BookmarkED keeps schools and districts informed and protected from potential liability with real-time updates on challenges at the state and national level. Libraries receive the latest information on when and why a book is challenged, if a book has been removed, and more. Without a central source for this critical information, librarians and administrators are too often left in the dark until challenged books or new legislation becomes an issue.
BookmarkED safeguards the literary well-being of our children, protecting against book challenges, while providing valuable insights and recommendations for a rich and fulfilling reading experience.
"Our mission is to ignite a sense of joy in reading, fostering a lifelong love for books."
The state of challenged books
BookmarkED’s launch is especially timely given the recent passing of Texas House Bill (HB) 900. Under the law, school districts face new compliance standards and public scrutiny in the current landscape of challenged books. Moreover, according to the American Library Association (ALA), there were 1,269 challenges to library books and resources in 2022, which nearly doubles the 729 challenges reported in 2021. With more and more books being challenged, school districts need a solution to track the latest challenges to ensure compliance.
Libraries currently rely on challenged book data from the previous year, which is immediately out of date as more books become challenged. This is a skyrocketing expense as challenged book reviews and duplicate requests must be checked and updated manually. The ALA estimates these challenged book reviews cost $20 thousand per challenge, which is upwards of $32 million total.
For the love of reading
Our mission is to ignite a sense of joy in reading, fostering a lifelong love for books. As a parent with two children that recently navigated traditional educational environments, I have a first-hand understanding of the challenges both students and parents face. While I was growing up, my unique learning style caused me to struggle in the traditional academic setting, ultimately leading me to drop out of high school. As an entrepreneur in the EdTech space, I have a passion to reshape the educational experience into a more positive one for future generations.
And we’re already bringing this dream into a reality by working with select Texas school districts to meet the changing requirements for their libraries and to provide a reading journey that is tailored to each student.
The real magic of BookmarkED begins in January 2024 and beyond. We envision a future where young minds are encouraged to actively engage with books, explore their interests, and initiate conversations about the books and content they love. Soon we’ll be connecting learning outcomes directly with books via the platform. Educators can then tie reading back to their curriculum and suggest alternative books in the case of a challenge or parental objection.
Brighter minds, brighter futures
As we embark on this transformative journey, I am grateful for the unwavering support of all those who believe in the power of literature and the importance of preserving individuality in reading choices.
BookmarkED enables children to effortlessly discover new books with tailored recommendations awaiting them in libraries. Our platform thrives on constant insight and analysis to create reading experiences that are unique and catered to individual preferences.
Together, we can create a world where reading is celebrated, young minds are empowered in a safe way, and the joy of discovering new ideas through books knows no bounds.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
If you are interested in working together or scheduling a demo, please contact us for more info by visiting here.