PEC offers digital library for students

HAYS COUNTY  — To continue its commitment to supporting the education of Central Texas youth, Pedernales Electric Cooperative created a digital passport to new worlds and adventures through books.

By way of its Literary Expedition Library, PEC shares a free online resource that includes a collection of video book readings geared towards students in pre-K through fifth grade. The co-op shares this content with members, area schools, local libraries and afterschool programs across the service territory — which includes Hays County — to support students in the community.

As a celebration of Read Across America Day, but now also offered year-round, the Literary Expedition Library helps students engage with captivating read-alouds where books can come to life through the voices of community members and PEC employees.

“We have had community members from our service area and PEC employees that have volunteered their time to read these various books. They tell us a little bit about their journeys, like professionally, and what fostered their love for reading as well,” said PEC Community Outreach Specialist Kevyn Packer. “We have now housed them on our website to be available year-round. Typically, before this, we would just post some videos for Read Across America Week or Read Across America Day. As the years have gone by, we've really created quite the collection and want to make them available to our educators, parents and librarians year-round.”

Locally, Chef Ashley Olson of Southern With a French Twist in San Marcos partnered with PEC to read, “What Do You Do with a Chance?” by Kobi Yamada. And there have been in-person readings at Tom Green Elementary School in Buda and Kyle Elementary School.

With being a parent, but also having experience as a former teacher, Packer said that having the online library is a great way to share resources.

“Teachers can embed these read-alouds into their lessons and show them within their classrooms. Afterschool care programs can use these with students [and] even after hours, parents can pull these up on their phone,” she explained. “I did that just the other day with my daughter at the doctor's office and being able to just listen to a story while you're waiting, really just, hopefully, fosters that love of learning and reading.”

Some of the book read-alouds offered in PEC Literary Expedition Library are listed below.

• “The Lion Inside” by Rachel Bright, read by David Morgan (UTSA/NFL Vikings)

• “The Good Egg” by Jory John, read by Jimmy Cole (CID Captain with Marble Falls Police Department)

• “Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos” by Susan Middleton Elya, read by firefighter Coleman Peavy from Lake Travis Fire Rescue

• “The Most Magnificent Thing” by Dr. Suess, read by PEC employee Susanne Greenseth

When PEC finds a person who is interested in doing a read-aloud for the online library, Packer explained that she will send about 3-5 book ideas that she believes would be a good fit. But also, there are some readers who will suggest a book that is near and dear to their heart.

“We're very open in that process of finding a book that connects with the reader. I think that translates in our videos and the kids get to feel that too,” she said.

While the online library was initially solely a celebration of Read Across America Day, and Read Across America Week, Packer said that there are ways for parents and teachers to promote literacy everyday — this includes utilizing resources like the Literary Expedition Library.

“By providing those different types of books and opportunities to go to their local library or to see their parents reading or their teachers reading [and] talking about books that they're reading. We visit a lot in different schools doing different circuit builder lessons, read-alouds, Meet a Lineworker and Career Day events,” Packer said. “I've seen some really great things in schools where teachers are posting the books that they're reading outside of their classrooms, so that their students see that they're not the only ones that are reading, it's part of growth even when you become an adult.”

Whether in classrooms, libraries at schools or homes, the PEC Literary Expedition Library is geared to offer literary experiences available anytime.

To read more about the digital library, or request an in-person reader at a local school, visit bit.ly/49JfuA7.