Even though summer is still in full swing, the back-to-school commercials are already playing. That’s why now’s the perfect time to explore the educational content available on Hoopla, which is free with a library card. If you haven’t already, make a visit to your local library and sign up for a library card today! Your library could play a vital role in making this school year your best yet.  

Does Hoopla Offer Back-to-School Content for Adults Continuing Their Educations? 

Yes! Hoopla provides a wide range of content geared toward supporting adults as they continue their education. There are titles in a variety of formats capable of helping adults continue their education.  

Audiobooks 

If you’re seeking audiobooks that can aid in your educational goals, check out the titles below. 

Learn Like a Pro 

In Learn Like a Pro by Barbara Oakly, PhD, and Olav Schewe, listeners will gain science-based insights allowing them to master all types of material. Through decades of writing, teaching, and researching the learning process, these authors have the tools needed for allowing learners to make the best use of their brains. 

Becoming a Critical Thinker 

Julie Bogart’s Becoming a Critical Thinker provides readers with valuable insights and useful exercises that improve critical thinking skills. From helping readers become more comfortable with differences of opinion to helping them point out misinformation, this helps readers develop into curious, empathetic learners. 

Early Humans: Ice, Stone, and Survival 

Take a history lesson with Early Humans: Ice, Stone, and Survival by Suzanne Pilaar Birch. This audiobook provides captivating lessons on our prehistoric ancestors who became extinct millions of years ago.

eBooks 

There’s no better way to prepare for back-to-school season like an eBook. Some suggestions worth checking out if you’re an adult considering going back to school include: 

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before 

If you have anxieties about returning to school, Julie Smith’s Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before can help! This toolkit provides valuable insights on how to remain resilient, manage anxiety, build self-confidence and more, which can help you make the most of continuing your education.  

GED Test Prep 2025/2026 for Dummies 

In GED Test Prep 2025/2026 for Dummies, readers will gain all the tips and tricks necessary to pass the GED exam. Fully equipped with study plans and practice tests, this guide provides readers with the perfect starting point for achieving educational goals. 

The New Microsoft Office 365 Bible 

If you’re worried about your technical aptitude when it comes to using Microsoft Office products ahead of the school year, The New Microsoft Office 365 Bible by Rick Sterling can help. This guide provides readers with step-by-step instructions and more than 250 illustrations to help you understand the ins and outs of each Microsoft Office program.   

Video 

There’s also a variety of movies and TV titles that can help you get back into the swing of things academically, including: 

Building a Better Vocabulary 

Building a Better Vocabulary offers viewers a research-based method for bolstering your vocabulary. Additionally, viewers will learn the cognitive science behind language acquisition.  

Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language 

Whether you’re taking a Spanish class this upcoming semester or simply interested in learning the language, Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language is perfect for you. By providing a step-by-step system that has proven to be successful for learners, this course provides a strong foundation for learning Spanish.  

Man vs. History – Season 1 

In Season 1 of Man vs. History, viewers follow acclaimed storyteller Bil Lepp as he unearths truths and mysteries about American history. From the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, Lepp traverses the entire nation, shining light on parts of history that have often been overlooked or forgotten.    

What Content Is Available to Help Younger Kids Prepare to Go Back to School? 

As you probably figured, there’s no way we could offer a back-to-school guide without providing suggestions for helping kids prepare for the upcoming school year. From audiobooks to TV and movies, everything you need to prepare kids to go back to school can be found right here on Hoopla. 

Audiobooks 

Some of the audiobooks available on Hoopla that can get kids excited to go back to school include: 

Jojo vs. Middle School 

In Jojo vs. Middle School by Joy McCullough and Veeda Bybee, Jojo has a nightmare about the first day of middle school. But when she finds a few classmates in a similar situation, they make a pact to ride out the highs and lows of middle school together.   

The Boy at the Back of the Class 

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf places listeners into the shoes of a nine-year-old Syrian refugee named Ahmet. He doesn’t talk much, but once a group of classmates learns his story of being separated from his family during the war, they set out on a mission to reunite him with his loved ones.   

The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System 

On this Magic School Bus adventure, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, Ms. Frizzle takes her class to the planetarium. But when it turns out to be closed, the Magic School Bus turns into a spaceship that traverses the universe, going to the moon and beyond!     

eBooks 

Some eBooks that can help kids put their thinking caps on in time for the first day of school include: 

Many Ways to Be a Friend 

Making friends is one of the most fundamental aspects of going back to school. And in Many Ways to Be a Friend by Christy Peterson, kids learn how to celebrate the main ways to be a friend with their favorite Sesame Street characters!   

Clifford Goes to Kindergarten 

In Clifford Goes to Kindergarten by Norman Bidwell, Emily Elizabeth is nervous about making new friends at school. But when Clifford joins her to sing songs and play games, she learns that school can actually be lots of fun! 

The Scary School 

In The Scary School by Melissa Lagonegro, it’s Mike Wazowski’s job to make kids laugh, but he goes into work one day to find out he has to go back to school for safety training. School can be a scary place for Mike, so the day before school starts, he tours the campus with his best friend Sully to feel better about going.      

Video 

A few educational films capable of giving kids a head start before the first school bell rings include: 

Meet the Vowels 

Ideal for giving younger students a starting point for spelling and reading, Meet the Vowels gives kids valuable lessons on vowels and consonants. Learning vowels doesn’t get much easier than this!    

Meet the Phonics 

Thanks to Meet the Phonics: Digraphs, learning phonics is both fun and simple. This video lesson teaches 13 basic digraphs and is used in millions of homes and schools all over the globe! 

Meet The Math Facts: Addition and Subtraction Level 1 

In Meet the Math Facts: Addition and Subtraction Level 1, kids learn basic addition and subtraction through fact families. This film also gives kids insight on how to recall basic addition and subtraction facts. 

BingePasses 

A BingePass gives you access to an entire bundle of educational content with just one borrow. A few back-to-school BingePasses include: 

Smile and Learn 

The Smile and Learn BingePass provides more than 14,000 interactive games and activities for children aged 3-12. And the activities were designed by educators, creating a personalized, fun, engaging experience that keeps kids motivated and excited to continue learning.     

STEAM Powered Kids 

The STEAM Powered Kids BingePass helps fuel children’s passion for everything under the STEAM umbrella (Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering, and Math). The content included in this BingePass encourages kids to ask questions, explore their surroundings, and continue fostering a love of learning.  

The Highlights Collection 

The Highlights Collection BingePass provides kids with access to interactive content straight from the magazine’s publisher. This content includes titles across a variety of formats from more than 200 multimedia series.  

Comics 

Believe it or not, Hoopla even has a variety of comics that can help kids gear up for their first classes of the school year, including: 

My Weird School Graphic Novel: Get a Grip, We’re on a Trip 

In this edition of the My Weird School Graphic Novel series: Get a Grip, We’re on a Trip by Dan Gutman, A.J and his friends can win a trip to Dizzyland by finishing 5,000 books. But the evil president of the board of education doesn’t think they can do it, which makes the kids at Ella Mentry School all the more determined to pull it off!

We Have a Playdate 

We Have a Playdate by Frank W. Dormer takes readers on a funny journey about navigating both friendships and the playground. This colorful, humorous novel reminds readers that any day spent with friends is a good one.  

The New Girl  

In The New Girl by Cassandra Calin, Lia and her family are embarking on a trans-Atlantic journey that sees them travel from Romania to Canada. As Lia adjusts to a new language, changes to her body, and a new home, she’s still struggling with schoolwork, making her wonder if she’ll feel like herself ever again.   

Make This School Year Your Best Yet with Hoopla! 

As the summer winds down and the school year approaches, make sure you take advantage of all the resources your local library offers. From after-school activities and services to digital classes that can supplement what you’ve learned in school, the library can serve as your secret weapon for academic success. Begin your journey toward making this school year your best yet by downloading Hoopla today! 

*Titles may vary by library