Method and apparatus for supplementing the reading of selected passages of printed material in a book or the like by electronically reading coded indicia provided in the book at such passages to access the playing of corresponding coded tracks of pre-recorded video/audio supplemental material respectively related to the selected passages

A method of supplementing the materials of various passages of different printed book descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with visual supplemental materials, and optionally with audio, correspondingly specifically related to and/or expanding upon the specific subject matter of the various passages of printed descriptive materials, that comprises, electronically storing on tracks of a recorded storage medium pluralities of such visual supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of different corresponding passages of the printed descriptive material in the book, and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

• printing or otherwise applying and displaying on the pages of the book alongside each of the various descriptive material passages, an electronically readable code indicia corresponding specifically to that coded track of the medium containing the recorded specific visual/audio supplemental material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage;
• providing an electronic wand for remotely selectively accessing the respective tracks of a medium player available to the book reader, and controlling the visual/audio playing of the same for displaying/reproducing to the reader said supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks;
• and further providing to the book reader an electronic reader of said coded indicia, adapted to actuate the electronic wand to playback respective coded tracks of the medium in the player in accordance with the book reader applying the electronic indicia reader to the respective code indicia in the book, thereby to enable the book reader, contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-back visual/audio supplemental material and while, if desired, continuing the facility for simultaneously re-reading the corresponding printed passage in the book during, before or after such playback.