NEWS RELEASES > JUNE 5, 2020
BY SHANNON MAUGHAN, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
For the past couple of months, as the world has grappled with stay-at-home orders and self-isolation in light of the COVID-19 crisis, PW has been reporting on the many ways that publishers and education companies are providing resources for educators, students, and families doing schoolwork at home. We checked in with a number of these companies to see how their efforts are going, what they’ve learned from this experience, and what summer and a new school year might look like.
Taking stock
Across the board, content providers we contacted in both the educational and trade segments of the industry reported that they’ve seen very high demand for their free digital resources since mid-March, when many schools and libraries were first forced to close their doors.
Students who are able to access digital materials from home “are definitely taking advantage of the free resources we’ve made available,” Britten Follett, Executive Vice President of Follett School Solutions, says. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, she notes, “We’ve seen nearly 10,000 schools sign up for our free offer of Classroom Ready Collections [standards-aligned open educational resources in various subjects] and nearly 30,000 register for access to the 1,000 free Lightbox [interactive eBook] titles.”
Offering books featuring favorite licensed characters can engage young readers
April 10, 2025
Holden, my 21-month-old, has fallen in love. His early morning snack and “couch time” includes a dose of “Tiger!” This is toddler for, “Mom, turn on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” It inevitably leaves me singing whatever jingle is repeated throughout the...
Read more
LOCAL BUSINESS DONATES SALES TO KIDS IN NEED
April 10, 2025
McHenry, Ill., Apr. 10, 2025 – Edythe's Book Nook, the employee bookstore of McHenry’s Follett Content, is proud to announce the donation of $1,300 from its January and February 2025, sales to Kids in Need McHenry County. This generous contribution will support the organization's...
Read more
March 12, 2025
McHenry, Ill., Mar. 12, 2025 – Follett Content, the largest provider of educational materials to 86,000 PreK-12 schools globally, today announced a strategic alignment to better serve its customer base with an enhanced sales organization and by establishing distinct pillars.Each pillar –...
Read more
Follett Educational Foundation Partners with MCC to Offer 10 Annual Full-Tuition Scholarships
January 28, 2025
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill., Jan. 28, 2025 – The Follett Educational Foundation has partnered with the Friends of McHenry County College (MCC) Foundation to establish ten annual full-tuition scholarships for students graduating from McHenry County high schools and attending MCC. The Follett...
Read more
Follett Educational Foundation funds book drive for Native American students
January 16, 2025
MCHENRY, Ill., Jan. 16, 2025 — More than 160 K-8 students, who reside on a Navajo Indian Reservation in rural Arizona, will have their home libraries enhanced courtesy of a book donation from the Follett Educational Foundation.Every student from Jeddito Public School,...
Read more
How McHenry-based Follett Content grew from a family business to an international company
January 14, 2025
Follett Content CEO Britten Follett always said she never wanted to be a part of the multi-generational family business because she wanted to do her own thing. For 10 years she was an Emmy Award-winning TV reporter before joining Follett...
Read more