Building a Digital Library to Inspire Educators
One of my favorite parts of teaching future educators is sharing great children’s literature with them. Books can open doors to conversations, spark curiosity, and inspire the next generation of teachers to create rich learning environments. Over the past year, I created a digital library that gathers dozens of high-quality picture books and makes them accessible in one place. The library is hosted on Padlet and features read-alouds available on YouTube: Explore the Digital Library Here.
This project began as a way to address a common challenge I observed in my university courses: many of my adult learners were unfamiliar with contemporary children’s literature. They often defaulted to books they remembered from their childhoods—classic titles that, while beloved, do not always reflect the diversity of today’s classrooms or the needs of contemporary learners. I wanted to provide them with easy access to current, high-quality titles that model effective literacy instruction and represent a diverse range of voices, topics, and genres.
The digital library is not a requirement for my students to use, but it has quickly become a favorite resource among them. I introduce it at the beginning of the semester and encourage students to explore it as inspiration for assignments, lesson plans, and read-aloud practice. Many students have told me that having a ready-made collection of books helps them feel more confident when planning lessons or discussing teaching strategies.
One of the benefits of using YouTube read-alouds is that students can experience professional or enthusiastic readings of the texts, which model pacing, intonation, and expression. This is especially helpful for adult learners who may be new to reading aloud or are nervous about performing for an audience. They can pause, replay, and reflect on what makes a read-aloud effective before trying it themselves.
I also use the library as a springboard for class discussions. For example, after watching a read-aloud, students might analyze how the book could support comprehension, vocabulary development, or social-emotional learning. They might brainstorm ways to extend the story with writing or art activities, or connect it to science, math, or social studies content. Since the books are available online, we can discuss them together, even when students are working from home, making the resource ideal for hybrid or asynchronous learning.
Another advantage is that the library exposes students to diverse authors, characters, and themes. Many of the books highlight important themes such as inclusion, perseverance, problem-solving, and social justice, which are essential for today’s classrooms. When future teachers encounter stories that reflect a range of cultures and experiences, they acquire the tools to build classroom libraries that are more representative and inclusive for all students.
Creating this library has also encouraged me to keep learning. I regularly add new titles so that my students can see the latest literature being published for children. This ongoing curation helps me stay connected to the field of literacy education and ensures that my teaching materials remain fresh and relevant.
Most importantly, the digital library has become a way to build community in my courses. Students often share their favorite books from the collection, recommend additional titles, and sometimes even record their own read-alouds to share with the class. This sense of collaboration turns the library into a living resource that grows with each group of learners.
Three Ways to Use a Digital Library with Adult Learners
Model and Reflect: Assign students to watch a read-aloud before class, then have them identify strategies the reader used (expression, pacing, questioning). Discuss how these choices affect engagement.
Link to Lesson Planning: Ask students to choose a book from the library and create a short lesson plan connecting it to a content area standard (science, math, or social studies). This helps them practice curriculum alignment.
Foster Choice and Voice: Invite students to select a book that resonates with them and record a brief reflection or their own read-aloud to share with peers. This builds ownership and confidence.
A digital library is a simple yet powerful way to model best practices, make high-quality literature accessible, and spark enthusiasm for using books in teaching. Whether students use it for assignments or simply for inspiration, it supports their growth as confident, creative educators who are ready to pass their love of reading on to the next generation.
