WAB Learns: Digital Parents: Sora / Overdrive

Sora

Sora
For Students we recommend Overdrive's Sora App.
Whether you’re reading for class or for fun, Sora’s eBook reader makes it easy.
* Add bookmarks, make notes and highlights, define words, and more.
* Comic books, graphic novels, picture books, and textbooks as they’re meant to be read.
* Select titles have professional narration so you can follow along with the text.
* Adjust the font type (including dyslexic font), font size, and lighting in most books.
* Your place, bookmarks, notes, and highlights sync between devices, so you can pick up right where you left off.

Do you need a way to access books when an internet connection or mobile app is not available?

To support this need, we’ve added the option to download titles for offline use at soraapp.com.

Note: This new option is available for students using Chrome. Students will need to download books over an internet connection (with VPN) before reading offline.

How does this work?
When a student visits soraapp.com, we’ll check to see if their browser has enough offline storage to support book downloads. If enough storage is available, soraapp.com will allow students to download books for offline use, just like in the Android and iOS apps. When offline mode is supported, Sora displays “Download settings” in the right menu.

How can students access their downloaded titles offline?
In Chrome, soraapp.com will prompt students to add a shortcut to Sora for an easy way to get back to their downloaded books when offline. Once offline, students can simply open their Sora shortcut and navigate to their Shelf.

How to

SORA on your iPhone / Android device

You can use the OverDrive app to borrow and enjoy digital titles from your library or school. The OverDrive app is available for Android and iOS.

Step 1:

Download the app from your device's app store.

iTunes (needs a VPN)

Google Play

Step 2:

Open the Sora app. Choose: Find my school.
Choose Western Academy of Beijing
Choose either Western Academy of Beijing (for students) or WAB Parent Login
Sign in with your WAB login.
- Students and staff: Use the part of your email address BEFORE the @wab.edu (e.g.18ianj)
- Parents use your parent portal login email and the password: wabtiger.

You now have access to the WAB OverDrive / Sora catalogue and can start borrowing books!

Overdrive

Overdrive
You can use the OverDrive app to borrow and enjoy digital books and audiobooks titles from our school libraries.
* Download the app from your device's app store or from app.overdrive.com
* Open the Overdrive app.
* Choose: Sign up > Sign up using library card.
* Type in Beijing and search for Western Academy of Beijing
* Choose your section (parents choose "Parent Access").
* Sign in with your WAB login.
* Students and staff: Use the part of your email address BEFORE the @wab.edu
* Parents use your parent portal login email and wabtiger - you can change the password later. If you change the password you will need to sign in with wabtiger again after the 2x annual patron upload and change it again.
* Indicate whether you are under 13.
* Click: Sign up > Add a Library
* Again, enter Beijing as a search term and choose WAB from the list.
* Tap the WAB name, sign in one more time but choose "save my details."

Instructions

OverDrive/SORA on your Mac

Step 1: Finding a book

Overdrive go to http://overdrive.wab.edu SORA go to: https://soraapp.com/welcome

Find Your School & Login with your WAB details:

Students and staff: Use your WAB email/password (just the part before @wab.edu)

Parents (WAB Parent login from dropdown): Use your parent portal email to login, with the password: wabtiger

Selecting a book

Select the book you want and choose: Borrow > Checkout
You have the option to either read / listen in your browser (requires an internet connection) OR
Download to your laptop (for offline reading / listening). Remember where you put the file! (see below)

Listening to Audiobooks offline.

Download OverDrive for Mac in the app store or here.
Open the app. Choose File > Open and find the .odm audiofile.
Select it, upload into the app. it should start downloading the audio content. You can either listen in the OverDrive app, or transfer the files to any audio device connected to your laptop using the app.

Reading e-books offline

To download and read an eBook offline, you will need to download and authorize Adobe Digital Editions. Students can download from the self-service portal.

Download the DMG file, double click the installer and follow the prompts to install.
Now you need to authorize the app. Under the help menu select: Authorize computer
Choose Adobe ID (NOT Overdrive) and use your WAB details to create the account.
You are now able to download books and read them offline with ADE.