New Britannica e-books for grades K-5 available free through Kansas State Library

More than 500 new e-books on major school subjects for grades K-5 are available free to Kansas residents, state library officials announced.

The Britannica Digital Learning collection includes curriculum-aligned volumes – many of them lavishly illustrated – for each grade in science, social studies, language arts and other core subjects. To access the books you’ll need a Kansas library card, which you can request at any local public or school library.

For more information about getting a card, visit http://kslib.info/137/Get-a-Library-Card. The library or school may require proof of Kansas residency.

Through Britannica’s E-Stax platform, card holders will have unlimited access to all titles from any Internet-connected computer, tablet or mobile device. Students and teachers may use the e-books in the classroom.

Officials said the library acquired the collection to respond to the growing need for high-quality, non-fiction texts in schools.

Today’s students need resources that will help them with master decoding, reading comprehension, vocabulary and critical-thinking skills, said state librarian Jo Budler in a news release.

“It is best if they are able to access these resources whenever and wherever they want them,” Budler said.

This story was originally published September 17, 2014 at 8:04 AM with the headline "New Britannica e-books for grades K-5 available free through Kansas State Library."