Kentucky Virtual Library Strengthens Britannica Education Subscription, Providing Early Learning Resources Statewide

A longstanding partner of Britannica Education, the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL) has introduced new early elementary resources to the 300+ libraries, institutions and K-12 schools that they serve. For more than 10 years, KYVL has provided statewide access to the Britannica School and Britannica Library digital resources. Now, this initiative brings those same resources to the PreK–2 level, establishing a path for young learners to begin their media literacy journey on the right foot.

New Early Learning Access

The new educational levels—Britannica School: Early Elementary and Britannica Library: Young Children—aim to ignite the curiosity of young minds with highly engaging, nonfiction articles specifically crafted for beginning readers, providing a world of exploration and discovery at their fingertips.

• Engaging Interface: Standards-aligned content is available in six categories, enhanced with media galleries, inline visuals, and a user-friendly interface.

• Diverse Student Needs: Leveled articles have audio read-aloud, word-by-word highlighting, and accessibility features tailored for young readers.

• Multi-Language Support: All media elements have a fully localized native Spanish toggle for multilingual learners.

“In 2024, we released the newest level of Britannica School and made Britannica’s resources accessible to early learners,” said Britannica Education’s senior vice president, Rick Booms. “Now, we’re starting 2025 by being able to foster PreK-2 education throughout all of Kentucky, thanks to our partnership with KYVL. We’re honored and excited to see the impact this will make!”

“The addition of Britannica Early Elementary supports our youngest learners in keeping with KYVL’s mission to provide all Kentuckians with a common foundation of high-quality resources, and support in their use, to enhance lifelong learning, working and living,” said KYVL executive director Ilona Burdette. 

For more information about the new early learning resources available through this partnership, please visit Britannica Education’s website and KYVL’s website.

About Britannica Education

Backed by Britannica’s history of more than 250-years, Britannica Education, a part of the Britannica Group, is a global leader in digital educational technology and content. We partner with educators, school districts, libraries, ministries, and media companies around the world to inspire student curiosity and provide trusted, comprehensive resources to meet evolving teaching and learning needs.

About the Kentucky Virtual Library

The Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL) is a consortium of over 300 Kentucky libraries and institutions, including colleges and universities, public libraries, K12 schools, hospitals, the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA), and more. KYVL has served the Commonwealth since November 1999, and is a program of CPE, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.