PHOTO GALLERY: Columbia Public Schools introduces iRead program for young students

January 16, 2013 | 5:51 p.m. CST

Columbia Public Schools announced a new program Wednesday called iRead. Every 4-year-old who lives within district boundaries will have access to MyON Reader, an online database of more than 2,000 books.

Mill Creek Elementary School second-grader Tierney Baumstark reads "Have a Hot Time, Hades!" with MyON Reader, an online database of electronic books. Columbia Public Schools announced Wednesday that all 4-year-old students who live within district boundaries and will be enrolled in a district kindergarten will have access to the service. | Whitney Hayward

Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Chris Belcher gives a presentation in the Parents as Teachers lounge in the Neil C. Aslin Administration Building on the new iRead program. The program will give students access to online books through an application called MyON Reader. | Whitney Hayward

Clair Townsend uses an iPad Mini to access MyON Reader, an online database of electronic books. Seventy percent of the books in the database are non-fiction, which the district said it's hoping to emphasize more in its curriculum. | Whitney Hayward