Holland, OH -- September 18, 2018. hoopla digital (hoopladigital.com), the category-creating mobile and online service for public libraries, today announced new additions to its STEAM content collection – considered the largest and most-diverse STEAM offering for public libraries. hoopla's new deals with Rosen Publishing, Inc. and others add hundreds of new STEAM titles – some exclusively on hoopla – including the New York Times Looking Forward series, Disney's Coding Adventure series and The Great Courses to the service.
STEAM is an educational approach that uses Science and Technology, interpreted through Engineering and the Arts, based in Mathematics, as an access point for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. STEAM advocates say the process produces and teaches students to take thoughtful risks, engage in experimental learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process.
"Our ongoing dialogue with librarians, educators and patrons have driven us to make a significant investment in our STEAM offering," said hoopla co-founder Jeff Jankowski. "This content is in high demand. Teachers, parents, and students want more of it. We are committed to providing the widest range of STEAM eBooks, audiobooks, comics, music and videos to ensure anyone who wants it has access to their preferred learning process tools at any time of day."
"We've developed hoopla's STEAM collection to offer titles for a wide range of audiences, from early learners to teens and adults," said Jankowski.
Experts say STEAM-related materials are critical in early childhood during a formative stage for learning. Exploring titles on hoopla like Iggy Peck, Architect series, made especially for early learners, can help nurture a child's educational foundation for life. From going on a numerical safari to learning to code with Disney characters, and working with sight words, kids can discover an array of educational tools and topics on hoopla.
hoopla's read-Along eReader is a celebrated feature on the service that brings STEAM picture eBooks to life for young readers. hoopla's immersive Read-Along eReader technology allows graphics to appear as they would in a physical book, accompanied by synchronized audio tracks and text that highlights as the narrative audio plays to foster better comprehension.
Additionally, hoopla digital offers "Kids Mode," which families can use to shape the content experience and to search for and access kid-friendly titles any time.
Teenagers can benefit from the STEAM approach with tutoring content that provides support for studying a range of subjects from algebra to geometry, and develop creative skills with comics that explore ideas and history, PBS videos, and eBooks that shape future career interests.
And adults can dive deep into STEAM on hoopla with a variety of formats and titles that teach new skills and explore areas of career growth, including business management fundamentals, entrepreneurship, technology, urban farming, bitcoin, and economic theory.
"hoopla has the largest and most diverse STEAM collection and we are excited to have hoopla as part of our library offerings. This additional expanded STEAM content takes learning to the next level and gives students the tools to connect to their own interests and passions in these critical areas and develop new pathways toward critical thinking and creativity beyond the classroom," said Tom West, from Brazoria County Library System in Texas.
hoopla digital has partnerships with more than 1,600 public library systems across North America including Boston Public Library, Free Library of Philadelphia, Chicago Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library, and Edmonton Public Library.
To access STEAM content on hoopla digital, cardholders of participating libraries can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or iOS device or visit hoopladigital.com. Content on hoopla can be accessed across a range of platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.
About hoopla digital
hoopla digital is a category-creating service that partners with public libraries across North America to provide online and mobile access to thousands of Movies, TV Shows, Music, eBooks, Audiobooks and Comics. With hoopla digital, patrons can borrow, instantly stream and download dynamic content with a valid library card. All content is accessible via hoopla digital's mobile app and online at www.hoopladigital.com. hoopla digital is a service of Midwest Tape – a trusted partner to public libraries for over 25 years.