Homeschool & Libraries

Do you know your library? Public libraries are fantastic homeschool resources. In fact, if you utilize your library well, you may not even need to purchase curriculum! Let’s jump right in to some of the resources you can find in a library . . . 

Books, glorious books!

Yes, definitely check out books. If you have internet access at home you can look up and reserve books ahead of time. But don’t stop at your local library – borrow from other libraries, too. Look into the inter-library loans available, which allow readers to borrow books from libraries that are hours away, and pick them up at the local circulation desk!

More Media

Okay, so borrowing books in print is obvious, but did you know that you can often check out e-books and audio books as well? And movies. Classics, documentaries, and even new releases.  One of our local libraries also loans out a Toniebox for kids to listen to music and stories. (I’m waiting for when they start lending out Yoto cards!)

Library of Things

Many libraries offer additional items to physically check out. Here in North Carolina we have Discovery Packs from the EcoExplore program – these are backpacks that include items like fishing nets, binoculars, and bird guides. Museum and state park passes are common items to find at libraries, especially since they take up almost no space at all, and can save you a good amount of money on entrance fees.

Take a peek at the libraries in your state and you’ll probably discover a selection of baking pans, sewing machines, metal detectors, microscopes, board games, globes, musical instruments, and much, much more! These types of items are often available through the larger library systems which may be frustrating if you live in a small town, but it can sometimes be worth the price of a non-resident library card.

Plugged In

There are probably very few, if any, libraries left in the United States that don’t offer free Wifi. You can pop in with your tablet, laptop, or phone to do some quiet research, or use one of their provided computers. Many libraries also offer free, or inexpensive, printing or copying.

Ancestry & Genealogy

Libraries often maintain collections of materials related to local history and genealogy. There is also an Ancestry Library Edition from Ancestry.com that many libraries participate in, which can help with genealogical searches.

Play Time

Many libraries have some sort of toys and games available in the children’s section. My boys love to play with the light table and Lego board at one of our libraries, and enjoy a variety of puzzles at several others. We love reading together, but we can spend an hour or two just playing at the library without even cracking open a book!

Look Beyond the Shelves 

What classes do they host? Libraries offer all sorts of programs, from art classes to Lego clubs to Master Gardening meetings to tax prep workshops to homeschool meet-ups, writing critique groups, robotics classes, and chess clubs. And we can’t leave out story times!

Some libraries offer Maker Spaces, with Cricuts or 3-D printers. See what your library has to offer, or make a few suggestions or requests to the librarian.

Patronize More Locations

Do you have more than one library near you? Make sure you check the schedule for all of them, as they likely offer different programs. We take part in a monthly Art Cart at two separate libraries in our system and frequently attend classes at a library in the next county.

Most library programs are free of charge, whether or not you have a card for their particular system. You’ll typically only need a library card when you’re ready to check out materials from the library. We do have a card for another county because they have a better selection of books, and passes for a state park we like to visit, but it’s definitely worth the nominal fee!

Read the Fine Print

Every library has a different set of rules for how many items can be checked out, how long they can be kept, whether or not (or how many times) they can be renewed, and what the fines are. These often vary by materials, too. For instance, a nearby library gives a 21-day checkout period for books, and a 7-day period for items from the Library of Things. All of those can be renewed as long as they’re not on someone else’s request list, and the children’s books don’t incur fines. The museum passes are also available to checkout for 7 days each, but they cannot be renewed and do incur fines. Knowing these sorts of details can help you to avoid surprise charges, letting you put your money towards those awesome Friends of the Library book sales instead.

What’s great about your library? Does it have an amazing selection of classes, or a unique item that can be borrowed?
Tell us about it in the comments!