Soundzabound is a royalty free music and sound effect database meant for use by K-12 schools. We have used it in many different ways through our school library. Students of any age can easily navigate the site and listen to short sound clips, search by word, topic, or even mood, and download a variety of selections. We have used their sound clips in green screen videos using the DoInk green screen app. One example is a news cast filmed in a studio, reporting on the Vietnam War, helicopter sound clips in the background. Most recently, our 8th grade podcast team has utilized many of the sounds in their podcast episodes. Our school library cataloging system, Destiny, will accept sound uploads from Soundzabound, so instead of a beep when we scan out a book, we can change the sound to a seaonal noise (Christmas bells, ghost noise, etc.) which adds an extra bit of fun to the check out process and therefore engages students and brings a positive glow to the library circulation desk.
Our school purchases access to the database through our regional BOCES. Though I am not sure of the direct costs, it may be worth investigating if your school does not have access. Soundzabound has been a great resource for myself and my students. Often it’s been a quick platform resource I can share with a teacher, to develop collaboative opportunities. It opens up conversations with students and classroom teachers about ownership, licensing, and copyright. Many students run their own youtube channels and are creating using sound clips at home, often downloading from YouTube. Introducation and regular use of Soundzabound for a variety of school projects, gets them in the good habit of knowing what they can and cannot legally use in their own personal and school work. Soundzabound content is sensored for appropriateness, specifically for a K-12 audience. Teachers and librarians can set students free to listen and sample without worry. If you’re working with teachers and librarians in the creation of media projects, no matter the platform, Soundzabound is worth looking into.
A. Charland LIS 568 