Sora/Overdrive Updates and FAQs
Thanks for your patience. It's exciting!
Question: Which do I use?
Advantages to classic Overdrive: being able to download onto a Nook or mp3 player; streaming videos are accessible
Advantages to Sora: Easy interface; more engaging; iPhone/Android app downloads the title onto your device (just like the Kindle app); can connect to your public library account as well as your school account on the device; cam return title early, take notes/highlights that you keep, and more
Question: How do I log in?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yEvcUdRmhY9Pv2rPOi8HpfyS_dUdhZlG/view
Question: How do I access Sora? Why can't I find an app on my desktop or Chromebook?
If you're on a device that does not have access to apps, you can access the button on your OPALS catalog home page, or just go to https://soraapp.com/welcome in your browser, and bookmark the site. You can encourage students to bookmark it as well. Once students log in to Sora on their device, they stay logged in unless they log out (or until your school is Google authenticated, if they aren't yet).
Question: How do I know if the access levels are ok for my littles?
We've combed through the consortium titles multiple times, but if there's a title that you think elementary students should not be seeing, or a title that they could once see that they now cannot and should be able to, let us know that as well.
*Note: If you previously purchased Advantage titles, you will have to check those access levels in your Overdrive Marketplace. We can't see your purchases. Here's how to edit access levels of your Advantage titles:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YzsF_8yqSzYJ8kQbvWG5Hg1ZM4Jb224j/view
Question: How do I know when I'm Google authenticated? Who do I bug if I'm not?
If you can see the Overdrive icon but get a 404 message when you click on it, then the Google authentication process is not complete just yet. Monitor it, be patient, and talk to your IT folks if it doesn't appear to progress beyond that. Sometimes IT and Overdrive need a little nudge to keep things moving once the process is started. :)
Question: How do I assign materials in Sora? Why don't I have a teacher account? How can I monitor student progress?
More questions? Let us know...
WSWHE BOCES SLS
Email: libraryservices@wswheboces.org
Website: www.wswheboces.org
Location: 27 Gick Rd, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
Phone: 518-581-3700