Internet-Linked Books

Our internet-linked (IL) books are amazing tools for families, teachers, and libraries. I want to make sure all of you understand how they work as well as the many benefits of our IL books. At every home party, library appointment, and booth I try to share with customers about our IL books. Basically, IL books provide you with internet links that go along with the book and provide more information on the topics covered in the book. You will know a book is IL because it will tell you somewhere on the cover of the book. Also, in the catalog the IL books are denoted by a little purple circle with "iL" in the middle. (For a key to all the symbols in the catalog, look on the contents page at the beginning of the catalog...page 4 in the Fall 2010 catalog.) You will notice that some books in the catalog are denoted as "iR"...this means internet-referenced. The difference is that IL books give you many internet links throughout the book, while IR books have a list of internet links in the back of the book.

How do IL books work? In the front of each IL book, it explains how they work so that our customers will know how to use them.

1. Go to the Usborne Quicklinks website at www.usborne-quicklinks.com.
2. Type in the key words for your book. They can be found at the beginning of your book on the page that explains how the Quicklinks work.
3. Type in the page number of the links you want to access. Some IL books will have a header or footer on the page that denotes if there are links for that page. But, most IL books will have a IL box on each page that lets you know there are links for that particular page.

You should have received at least one IL book in your starter kit. Go grab it and check it out! I LOVE using the IL books with my boys! There is such a big variety of links in our IL books...articles to read, videos to watch, audios to listen to, games, experiments, puzzles, quizzes, worksheets to download, etc. There are also downloadable images that can be accessed on the Quicklinks site for kids to use in reports, etc. These are denoted in the IL books by a small black star next to the image.

Benefits of IL books (make sure to share these with customers!):

1. Cost-efficiency - You are buying SO much more information that just what is included in the book!
2. Time - When a child is studying a topic in school or researching a topic, the links provide a quick variety of resources for them. Also, Usborne regularly reviews and updates the links.
   
3. SAFETY!!! - Parents do not have to worry about their child googling a topic and finding who knows what on the internet. All the sites are safe for little eyes!

Who to tell about our IL books?

1. Parents for their homes
2. Teachers for their classrooms
3. Librarians for their libraries

Always explain to them how the IL books work and the benefits of our IL books. People are continually impressed with this amazing feature of so many of our non-fiction books!