FAQs
Reading Cloud explained: answers to your top questions
Explore frequently asked questions about Reading Cloud, the original library management tool. Find answers to common queries about features, pricing, account set up and onboarding, support, and more.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@reading-cloud.com.
About Reading Cloud
At Reading Cloud, we understand that deploying the right technology can be the key to successfully engaging young readers from the very beginning of their academic journey and nurturing a lifelong love of reading. With more than a decade of experience and now part of a leading EdTech company, ParentPay Group, our flagship product, Reading Cloud, is a comprehensive library management software designed to streamline every aspect of library administration.
Our library management system helps you run your library effectively, supporting you to put it at the heart of your school and ultimately, encouraging reading for pleasure across your entire school community.
From cataloguing and circulation to inventory management and reporting, our user-friendly platform empowers librarians to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time engaging with students.
Reading Cloud is a comprehensive library software that provides everything schools need for streamlined library management covering everything from cataloguing and reporting to automated reminders.
Students are the lifeblood of the school library. To this end, Reading Cloud features student-friendly tools to capture young readers' interest and boost library engagement. Features like book reviews, blogging, custom reading lists, and avatars, encourage students to share their reading experience and foster a vibrant reading community.
At Reading Cloud, we're committed to continuous improvement. Our team regularly enhances our platform based on valuable customer feedback. By combining essential library tools and student-centric features, Reading Cloud enhances the library experience for educators and librarians alike.
Reading Cloud is a school library management system supporting primary and secondary school phases up to sixth form colleges. The platform’s bright, student-centric interface and easy-to-use navigation means it can cater to first readers all the way up to more senior students.
For younger students, the popular random search tool is an easy way for children to search the catalogue and be inspired by different themes or topics.
Reading Cloud at its core is a library management system which offers the tools schools need to seamlessly manage their library. The tools and features allow teachers and school librarians can manage their library inventory, track borrowed books, and gain valuable insights to shape their reading curriculum and promote reading.
We recently launched a customisable homepage after feedback from customers who said they wanted a more configurable, flexible homepage where they could promote their school libraries and school-wide initiatives. The enhanced homepage can be tailored to meet the needs of your students and offers a more engaging and intuitive look and feel to support students in using the platform to interact with your library.
At Reading Cloud, we want to keep pricing clear and transparent to meet the needs of your school and ensure we are offering value for money. We offer a variety of packages for primary and secondary schools and 1-year and 3-year deals.
Request pricing and a free no-obligation quote here.
Nurturing reading engagement amongst students
Engaging students to read to support their learning can be challenging – Reading Cloud allows students to create their own profiles and avatars, chat to friends, and write blogs and reviews about their favourite books and authors. The 'Who Next?' feature is an automatically generated list of recommended reads that helps students pick books similar to ones they have previously enjoyed.
Educators can easily curate reading lists for individuals and groups, and students themselves can create their own lists based on their own interests or preferences.
One of our customers, Alice Mintowt-Czyz, Head of English (Senior School) at Rougemont School uses reading lists developed by Head of Departments to promote reading in a particular subject area; “The lists on Reading Cloud are nicely designed and easily navigated, hopefully taking some of the ‘analysis paralysis’ out of choosing a book, especially at the start of a course at GCSE or A-level.”
Our platform seamlessly integrates with Carel Press free of charge to provide students with a curated selection of high-quality, vetted weblinks to support their research needs. Through this partnership, students can access a trusted database of relevant, age-appropriate online resources that have been carefully evaluated for accuracy, safety, and educational value.
Starting with Reading Cloud
At Reading Cloud, our Product Specialist team supports you throughout the onboarding process to make sure it’s as streamlined as possible.
Onboarding time can differ based on various factors like whether you need to convert student data from another system or if you’re adding on any of our third-party solutions, but our specialists ensure a smooth transition tailored to your needs.
Book cataloguing is quick and easy - simply scan barcodes and our system does the rest. Once books are on the system, they're there permanently. Schools often discover the true value of their library stock and annual stock checks help track missing books, potentially saving hundreds of pounds yearly. We also offer a cataloguing service if needed.
Our team is committed to providing you with the best possible experience and ensuring that you get the most out of the platform. We understand that transitioning to a new system can sometimes be challenging, that's why we offer onboarding training to orientate you on the platform.
Our onboarding journey starts with a project meeting between you and your dedicated Product Specialist to talk over your goals and how you wish to use the platform. Then we’ll create your individual school’s Reading Cloud site and organise up to three onboarding sessions to build your confidence in the basic library management tools.
We also offer a comprehensive suite of training and consultancy options for those new to library management or experienced librarians requiring a quick refresher. These sessions can be tailored to your needs and delivered face to face or online. They can cover everything from library management basics to some of the more advanced tools like resource management and loads, to reporting and stock check. Find out more here.
Reading cloud is a mobile responsive Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. It is a cloud-based software application that is designed to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across a variety of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
You can read more about our recommended technical specifications in our useful knowledge base article here.
Improving the library management experience
We have been working on a series of performance updates that will optimise the operation of school libraries. With a more intuitive design across the student and management interface and enhanced performance and speed, these updates will make it easier than ever for you to manage a successful school library.
Reading Cloud’s intuitive inbuilt reporting tools let you identify valuable data insights and trends on students reading interests, habits and tastes, which you can use to curate a more engaging library and learning experience.
The ability to track, report on, and identify key reading trends in your school will prove invaluable when it comes to reporting for Ofsted. With the key statistics Reading Cloud provides, you can see how many pupils are using your library, compare users by demographics and see the most popular titles in your school. You can also compare the most popular books and authors across the complete Reading Cloud database, giving you an indication of which books to purchase for your school. It’s really a great way to empower librarians to curate their collections to meet the needs and interests of their students.
At Reading Cloud, it’s important for us to ensure that every student has equal access to the library and quality resources. This is particularly important for schools that have a lot of EAL students. That’s why Reading Cloud supports over 30 languages and can be easily switched to the student’s native language.
No, we offer unlimited users. This means your Reading Cloud subscription covers as many student users as you need.
Reading Cloud’s wider offering
Reading Cloud is MIS agnostic. We integrate with Intake by Wonde, an automated student provisioning service, that synchronises data between whichever management information system (MIS) you use and our library management solution.
With Intake, you can effortlessly and securely upload your student databases to Reading Cloud from your MIS on a daily basis.
Intake comes at an optional extra.
Reading Cloud seamlessly integrates with OverDrive ebook, a cost effective solution for schools offering a diverse collection of ebooks and audiobooks for primary and secondary students.
With an extensive catalogue of over 4,000 titles, now including access to magazines like The Week, The Week Junior, National Geographic Kids, and New Scientist, OverDrive ebook collections, your students will have access to quality resources at their fingertips.
Students can quickly and easily access OverDrive through their Reading Cloud account.
Find out more about OverDrive here.
OverDrive comes at an optional extra.
Ready to transform your school library?
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your students’ library experience. If you’re not yet part of the Reading Cloud family, now is the perfect time to find out more about what we can offer your school. Book a no obligation demo with one of our expert Sales team today and discover how Reading Cloud can transform your school library.
