1.  What is Sora/OverDrive?

Scotts Ridge Middle School uses Sora/Overdrive as our eBook reading platfom! Our students have access to a small but growing collection of eBooks and audiobooks that can be used easily on Chromebooks or downloaded by students to multiple types of personal digital/mobile  devices (Kindle, Nook, Tablet, iPad, computer,  cell phone, Mp3 player, etc). Sora is the public school and student app/platform for OverDrive while  Libby is the public library version.  Sora is free for our students.

2.  Is our RPS Sora/Overdrive collection mixed with the Ridgefield Library Overdrive collection?

No, our SRMS collection is separate and for Scotts Ridge MS students only. Our policies and collection procedures may be different because school and public libraries operate differently. Nonetheless, through Sora, students can switch back and forth between the school collection and the public library collection or search both collections at once.

Students log in to Sora/Overdrive with their RPS Gmail account. Once logged in, students can add a public library within Sora and select a check box that enables them to search both collections at once. 

(Note: In order to access any of the titles from the public library, students will need to have a public library card. Sora recognizes the grade level of students and will show age-appropriate books from the public library in the search.)

3.  What is the web address for our SRMS Sora/Overdrive Collection?

The address to go to Sora is: https://soraapp.com/library/ridgefieldct. Sora recognizes the school you attend and only shows middle school (not RHS) content. This link is also available from our website homepage.

4.  What do students/staff use to log in to Sora/Overdrive for checking out materials from the SRMS Overdrive collection?

Students and staff log in with their RPS Gmail accounts. It will prompt them to select/link their school Gmail account the first time they go into Sora/Overdrive.

5.  Can students check out all the books in the collection?

Students at the middle school level cannot check out books from the high school collections.

6.  What is the lending period?

The lending period for materials is two weeks.

7.  Can I renew a title?

Titles cannot be renewed, but you can check them out again after they expire if they are still available. If not, you may place a hold on them.

8.  Do multiple users have access to one title?

Most titles are checked out in a one book, one user model. When the lending period is done (currently 2 weeks), the title expires and is available for another user to check out. Most of the audiobooks and eBooks operate very much like a physical library book.

9.  How many digital materials can I have out at a time?

Students can check out one eBook at a time.

10.  How many titles can I have in my wish list that I’m interested in reading? 

Your list will hold unlimited titles. 

11.  Can I return a book early?

Yes! And please do! Sora makes it easy to return a book early if it does not suit you or you finish reading it.  We encourage you to return books early if you are done with them so others can enjoy them! Just select the Return Title button below the title on your Checkouts page (under your Account).

12.  How do I place a hold on a material if it is already checked out?

At this time we’re limiting holds to one at a time. You will get a notification in Sora that your hold is ready. Other information on managing holds or freezing or postponing them is available here.

13.  How can I cancel a hold?

Login to your account. Go to your Shelf. Go to Holds. Click Option and  Remove link to cancel the hold.

14.  Where can I view tutorials or get help in using Sora/Overdrive?

The help link has links to Sora troubleshooting tips or to Overdrive/Libby (public library) information.

15. Video Tutorials

• Sora How To Videos

• Overdrive/Libby Video (public library)

16. What are easy to follow tips for using the different features in Sora?

• Reading and Listening

• Returning and Renewing

• Holds

• Notes and Highlights

• Downloading

• Searching

• Where to find your assigned books

17.  Will you be adding more eBooks and audiobooks to the collection?

We’ll continue to add books as funding allows and will adjust purchase decisions based on your feedback! Be sure to email us with your thoughts/suggestions.