Last week, AwesomeStories - the subscription-based web site
http://www.awesomestories.com (with 125,000 links to primary sources at
national archives, libraries, government and academic websites
worldwide) and freely used in schools and ESL programs worldwide -
announced a holiday gift for students:    

"As our holiday gift to students, their parents and the general public,
we are waiving the site's $9.95 annual subscription fee. There will be
no 'group access' for these memberships, but students (and their
parents, if they wish) can receive free individual access to the site by
simply requesting it with this form.
https://www.awesomestories.com/signup.php?ua=individual_signup  We
recognize that many students, and their families, cannot afford 'extras'
like on-line subscription fees. In an effort to encourage people to read
- and to assist them as they use the Internet to research topics and
locate primary sources - we are saying 'Happy Holidays!'"

With their password, individuals can access the database from any
computer connected to the Internet.  A story about the science of
spiders
http://www.awesomestories.com/movies/charlottes_web/charlottes_web_ch1.htm
was recently released to coincide with the above announcement and the
opening of "Charlotte's Web."  It is anticipated that stories behind the
films "Apocalypto" and "Eragon" will be on the site this week.  A
privacy policy http://www.awesomestories.com/content/privacy.shtml is
strictly enforced.

Free academic-group status - for educators, schools and libraries -
remains available, without restrictions, by submitting this form.
https://www.awesomestories.com/signup.php?ua=group_signup 


Carole Bos
Dean's Advisory Board
Grand Valley State University
bosc at gvsu.edu