jen210 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Our local library is having a long range planning meeting (5-15 years) and has asked someone from our homeschool support group to attend because homeschoolers use the library. It is not just for homeschoolers but they'd like to know how they could serve the community better. What type of books, resources, classes, programs, etc. does your library offer or would you like to see them offer? Thanks in advance for any ideas! Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Wow! How wonderful to have a library system interested in the hs community! Our local system is great, but not really tuned in to hs needs, so that sounds like a dream come true. Personally, I'd like our library to have more books on hs "theory" --books like WTM or Charlotte Mason's books, as well as the typical "getting started in hs" books (although they could use more of those too!) It would be nice to poll your area hsers to see what types of curriculum generate interest, then bring a list to the library to consider stocking--even if just to "preview" before buying. Also, longer check out times for hs materials would be great--I hate having to return a book before I am finished, then re-check it a few days later to continue. What about asking the library to stock items like microscopes, math manipulatives, puppets, art reproductions etc. ? Finally, I'd really love to have our library create a story time for older kids--right now it focuses on 2-4 yr olds, and when I bring my 6 yo son, he is bored. The hs community just isn't very visible locally and I think it never crosses their minds to serve hsers with story time activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I'd suggest lots of Teaching Company DVDs/CDs and lots of SWB/ and Jim Weiss. Lots of different "how to's" like the previous poster. A list of homeschooler's emails? The story time idea is GREAT! WOW! You should have fun with this... Oh yes, the math manipulatives in those little backpacks....(like they do for other activities...) and also Living Math books.... (Greg Tang's, Cindy Neuschwander's and such...) Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearnpurple Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 How about a time just for homeschoolers in your district? Not really a co-op or group but just so they could "learn" from each other on different subjects/references, etc. Maybe the story time idea would work too?!?! We just had our "bookmobile" taken from the budget so now our "library time" is when we have extra time going to town.....which can be tricky returning items when needed. For those who don't understand, our bookmobile is essential a huge library on wheels. We could request books and the librarian on the bus was always looking through the new stuff to see if we could use it on our homeschool schedule. It was wonderful while it lasted! Sorry - rambling - mainly just to say good luck and I hope your input works well for your library! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 From my experience, libraries have videos for the local signed language, but rarely enough that one can make a useful course of study out of it. It's usually a couple of basic sign singing tapes and something else that is way too hard. Presumably they hesitate to invest money in something like that without being fairly sure people will borrow it, but people won't borrow it if there isn't enough there. Our library needs more maths based story books. They are ALWAYS on loan! Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our library has tons of children's activities weekly. They are not just for homeschoolers but homeschooling families make up at least half of the attendees. They have story times, art/craft classes, play dates for preK, How to Use the Library classes, story tellers, magicians, book fairs.... In the summer they have a reading program. They have themed actvities like Princess parties where they read fairy tales, or Pajama parties where the kids come at 6pm in pajamas for bedtime stories. For every 30 minutes a child is read to or reads independently, they can enter a drawing. Community business put everything from ice cream certificates to money in the drawings that can be won. If they write book reports, the library will post them for others to read. Mine invites special speakers from the Game and Fish commission who usually bring wildlife to their presentations. They do Bingo for Books where bingo winners win books instead of other things. They have an easy form to fill out for library purchase requests. During the summer they have been showing movies for free in the big room. They have all been rated G movies so entire families can come. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 One of the libraries here, in response to a request from a homeschooling mother, led some group meetings during which she explained (with tours of departments) how the library "works", and what the many kinds of reference materials are suited for (and how to use them). It was marvelous for families not knowing those things ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 How wonderful your local library is interested in working with homeschoolers. Here in IL we have the Johnsburg Public Library in McHenry County. The library was awarded a grant which allowed them to set up a Homeschool Resource Center. It is a very small room but it is crammed with wonderful resources. I have driven an hour from my home to check out materials. If I can't wait for my local convention, this is tghe place I go to "browse" curricula. They have all sorts of things . . . microscopes and slides, models (my favorite is a model of the human body . . . a torso and upper body with removable organs) educational games, the IEW Structure and Style videos, Sonlight teacher guides, CD's, manipulatives, and many books written specifically for homeschoolers. Many items have been donated by homeschoolers and are now available for ciculation. Others were purchased as part of the grant. Items circulate for 6 weeks and may be renewed if there is no hold on them. Perhaps the librarians at your library would be willing to communicate with the librarians at Johnsburg. http://www.johnsburglibrary.org/content/homeschool-resource-center Adrianne in IL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I would give the library catalogs like SL, MFW and other living book curriculums, AO book list and the Well Trained Mind book and AG and tell them these are the books we would like you to have. I would also try to find some good article that explain the difference between "twaddle" books and good books to help explain the types of books home schoolers are looking for. Libraries carry so much junk! Maybe you could get them to separate the children's section in half; one section for good living books and one section for twaddle.:D It would be nice if they could separate whole language readers from real phonetic readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our library started a binder where you can add book reports. Basically, if a homeschooling parent or child read a book that they think other homeschoolers would like, they can write up a one page "book report" on why it was a good book and put it in the binder. Then, other hs-ing families can look through the binder for book ideas. This is new, so there's not much in the binder yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Oh, and I agree with everyone else: more books on how to homeschool, like WTM and books like that. Not just the "how to begin homeschooling" but the books on educational theory from a homeschooling perspective. John Taylor Gatto type stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I would not advise telling them that homeschoolers like high quality books while everyone else likes twaddle. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule, and that is a combative way of speaking. Even if it's a joke. I would say that there are articles about how much homeschoolers tend to read, and also there is a contingent of HS'ers who love old stuff including both classics and others for the "old fashioned" and "good values" transmitted therein. So having a nice, diverse collection of books, including plenty of good non-fiction that is of the non-encyclopedic variety (with bits and pieces but no coherant narrative) would be wonderful. Lots of resources on different countries, how things work, art and music including samples of art and lots of different styles of music - preferably in the children's area, books on fun crafts and physical exercises, second language learning for children (French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, etc), homeschooling information for parents including legal info, resources of books -- which, by the way, the library itself tends to have some quite expensive volumes for librarians to use that HSing parents should tap into to, picture books with math and science content, and so on. What I would like to see for my own kids is more story time type activities for kids older than preschoolers. I think it would be fun for adults to have story time. It's always good for the library to have sessions on how to use the library, but honestly, all you need to do is ask -- if you give the librarian a bit of notice, s/he will usually be delighted to do a tour, etc, for a group, with a focus on whatever you'd like, so I encourage people to work this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Books that are suggested for SOTW and other curricula are sometimes hard to find for me, even though I have a whole system of libraries I can borrow from. I would like to see more of those in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzannah Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) The others have offered good suggestions, but how well does your library currently meet your needs? I agree, I would love to be able to keep books longer. I think PS teachers are allowed some sort of privelege at our library, but when I've asked about it they just remind me that I can renew the book up to three times for a total of 9 weeks for most books (3 weeks for videos.) But sometimes we use books longer than that, or need them two or three times over the course of a semester. And while I do try to remember to renew them...well, using a book for such a long period of time, I sometimes forget when exactly it needs to be renewed. And I can't renew it early because then I won't get ot keep it as long.... So, some sort of special educator's privelege of keeping books for 6 weeks at a time or something would be nice. Oooh! And maps! I hadn't really thought about even asking about it before, but right now I'm in the market for a pull-down world map. It would be totally awesome if there were a way to check-out large wall maps. I have no idea how you would ensure that they weren't torn or folded while checked-out, but that would be really great. Some things I really appreciate about our library system: Online services *Checking my account online to see when things are due, renewing them from home if necessary. *Requesting books online so they will be waiting for me when I get to the library. Email Notification *They send me an e-mail notification when my books are available. *They also send an e-mail notification when books are due (about 3 days before--you'd think I could manage to return them on time but....) *And, when I forget to return them, they send an e-mail telling me that I have a fine. Other branches *We live in a very large county. There are many libraries in our system. If one branch has a book that I need, I can go there myself, but more often I request it online or through my local branch. *When I'm finished with a book, I can return it at any branch, regardless of where I got it. *When requesting books, I can choose where to pick it up. Sometimes we are on our way out-of-town or to co-op and it's easier to get my books on our way than going in the opposite direction to our closer, local branch. Drive-through Window!! *A newly-built branch that I pass frequently has a drive-through window. If you request books to pick up at that library you have the option of picking it up at the window. I haven't had the chance to do this yet, but I pass that library on my way to our co-op so when I'm teaching and need a book just for the class, I can just swing by on my way and don't even have to leave my car! How nice that they are asking for input! Good luck! Oooh, one more thing... Book clubs/reading groups for children, teens and adults. A lot of libraries do this. Ours has an adult book club but I've never been. I would prefer to do a kids' book club. There's a book about this...can't think of the name of it. But a husband wife team conducted a book club at their local library. The first book they did was Mr. Popper's Penguins. Does that ring a bell anyone? Edited June 10, 2009 by Suzannah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 :coolgleamA: It is very cool that your librarian asked for hs input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our library started a binder where you can add book reports. Basically, if a homeschooling parent or child read a book that they think other homeschoolers would like, they can write up a one page "book report" on why it was a good book and put it in the binder. Then, other hs-ing families can look through the binder for book ideas. This is new, so there's not much in the binder yet. What a neat idea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Wow, a drive-thru window sounds great! I'm always having to put off going to the library because the baby falls asleep in the car by the time we get there. Alas, he won't stay asleep if I take him out. We have a pretty good library system. A lot of things already mentioned like story/craft time. However, during the "school" year it is only for toddlers/preschoolers during the day. During the summer it is for older kids as well. They do have an evening story time too. They have teen movie nights and teen book clubs. Once they had a teen lock in. I do see teens there participating, and I think it's great. My mom's library has a great mailing system. She can request books online, and have them mailed to her. Then she can mail them back to return them in the prepaid envelope they provide. I wish I had that here! I would like to see more CD audio books especially Jim Weiss. Also audio books with the actual book included so kids can read along. Educational DVDs as well such as Bill Nye, National Geographic, and Magic School Bus. Larger selection of kids magazines. More computers for internet use. There are always people on the computers and the wait is usually long even in the middle of the day. Maybe have two sections with computers. One section for research and educational/work purposes, and the other for just fun/browsing the internet. I'm not sure how you'd regulate that one though. We used to have interlibrary loan, but they cut it due to lack of budget. I MISS it so much. I used to be able to get just about any book I needed with interlibrary loan. I have the option of still being able to use interlibrary loan for $100 a year. I figure I can take that money and buy the books used, and then the books are actually mine. You know what would be nice. If they kept track of who donates and what they donate. Perhaps use that info to grant people some forgiveness on late fines. I almost never sell my books. I donate them to the library, and I think it would be nice to not have to pay late fees. :tongue_smilie:That might be an incentive for some people to donate to the library. That's all I can think of for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryCatherine Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I've always wished that our library would have a chess club. I love the idea of my boys playing chess with other kids, teens or especially love the idea of older gentlemen playing and just talking with them, forming relationships. I think I'll suggest this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I would also try to find some good article that explain the difference between "twaddle" books and good books to help explain the types of books home schoolers are looking for. Libraries carry so much junk! I would not advise telling them that homeschoolers like high quality books while everyone else likes twaddle. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule, and that is a combative way of speaking. Even if it's a joke. I was thinking about the twaddle vs. real books issue too. I think whatever resource you use (and I think something in print, not written by you would be more effective) would need to not be leaning too much toward homeschooling--after all, you said they're looking for ideas for the community as well as homeschoolers. I think most every idea you present should try to work for the local community as well as the hs community. That will make the ideas more valuable to them. Things like these mentioned by Kleine Hexe... I would like to see more CD audio books especially Jim Weiss. Also audio books with the actual book included so kids can read along. Educational DVDs as well such as Bill Nye, National Geographic, and Magic School Bus. Larger selection of kids magazines. I wish our library could put the nonfiction kids' books in the children's department, instead of shelving them in the adult area. I understand that they're there because of how they fall in the dewey decimal system, but I have to drag my kids out of the children's area (I won't leave them there alone) to go get fairy tale books or books about the human body, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I wish our library could put the nonfiction kids' books in the children's department, instead of shelving them in the adult area. I understand that they're there because of how they fall in the dewey decimal system, but I have to drag my kids out of the children's area (I won't leave them there alone) to go get fairy tale books or books about the human body, etc... I tend to agree, and sometimes you find very kid-friendly resources right next to something that is very not kid-friendly (especially in the areas of the human body and religion) and that can be a bit weird. My library system has a separate kids' room where all kids' material is shelved, including CDs, books on CD, etc, for the main library, but in the branches, non-fiction books for kids and adults are together BUT the fairy tales are with the kids' stuff, as well as the fiction (divided into picture books and chapter books), movies, books on CD, and magazines for kids. And my number one suggestion is: if you suggest that the library buy or do certain things, please, please participate yourself. Check those books out, attend events, and generally make it worth their while to have these resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 The libraries around here have the kid non-fiction in the same area as the kid fiction. It's not mixed in with the adult stuff. The libraries around here range in size from the size of a big dining room to a full fledged three story building. All of them still manage to keep all the kids stuff (fic and non-fic) in one area and all the adult stuff in another area. For those of you whose libraries keep the kids' nonfiction with the adult's nonfiction, maybe you could ask them why? It can't be a matter of space (I mean, really--the library in my town is smaller than my living/dining room area. And my house is pretty small.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 but in the branches, non-fiction books for kids and adults are together BUT the fairy tales are with the kids' stuff, as well as the fiction (divided into picture books and chapter books), movies, books on CD, and magazines for kids. I'll clarify: some of the fairy tale stuff is in the children's section--usually Disney, or any modern fairy tale story. But the classic stuff by authors like Grimm or Perrault tend to be in the non fiction section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiechoke Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Online services - downloadable video service, ebooks, downloadable audiobooks Foreign language resources - like sets of the Pimsleur CDs, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalynnrmc Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree with much of what has been suggested here - *book groups /story times for older kiddos *more audio options, and foreign language *some sort of helps or options on late fees - do a Netflix type of thing! LOL *some way to help sort out the twaddle from the literature, even if they just slap some colored stickers on the books that are "fun" or "series" or "classics" or "suggested reading". Feature books from a literature awards list each month/week. Something, anything to help sort through the twaddle. *and I agree - sort the phonetic readers from the whole word "easy readers" I would probably also submit book lists. The literature listed for curricula like Sonlight, Winter Promise, Illuminations, etc etc are always difficult to find. (And I'm sure there are more curricula with hard to find books listed also.) Maybe a helpful suggestion at reserving or at the counter, when a person checks out a book that has a movie counterpart (or a movie that has a book counterpart), notification of that would be great. Something that's important to me in a library is that my kids have some sort of area where they can play quietly, look at books, etc - SAFELY - while I gather books. The library in the town where we just moved does have such an area... but it is in the children's section and separated by the main checkout counter AND the movie section from the adult books. I don't feel comfortable leaving my kids there, even in this small library, to go to the other side of the elongated room and find my own books. I've begun taking things for the kiddos to do, and of course I let them pick their books out first; there's a couch near the adult section, and a table and chairs in the back, and *sometimes* the kids will sit quietly there while I browse. But, they don't do that well, and not for long, and not often. :lol: Also, I'd love a system where if I check out a book, I receive suggestions of other books that are in some way similar. Like on Amazon, when you rate a book, it makes suggestions for you based on your ratings. The difference would be that this would only be on available books at that library. (In fact, a way - online would be great - to rate and review books and resources within the library system itself, and to see ratings/reviews from other people - homeschoolers especially - would be fantastic! Then the library system can make suggestions based on my picks, and maybe others can see a list of what we've read and liked and make personal suggestions that the computer system might not pick up on. Does that make sense?) Okay, I'll stop. How exciting to have a system that is so interested in what homeschoolers want! The Austin library system has, I'm convinced, only ONE copy of each volume of SOTW... and none of the audios. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 For those of you whose libraries keep the kids' nonfiction with the adult's nonfiction, maybe you could ask them why? I think it's the idea of making the non-fiction library materials not age segregated, that one may benefit from both adult and child level materials no matter what one's age, etc. But like I said, in some matters, it is glaringly odd. My library system has zero copies of SOTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsquared Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Rosetta Stone in several languages. Its expensive (I should know I bought it :() and it would be great to be able to just check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsquared Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I would not advise telling them that homeschoolers like high quality books while everyone else likes twaddle. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule, and that is a combative way of speaking. Even if it's a joke. quote] This is a good point. I could not get an accurate original edition of Alice in Wonderland for my daughter at my library. It was all Disney-ized or something of the sort. Another library near us has about 100 science DVDs for kids - can't think of the name but they are on PBS sometimes too. Everything from how water freezes to tornados and more. Very interesting stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Yes, it would be good to have the unabridged fairy tales, folk tales - Grimm, Andersen, etc - and children's classics in the collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Our local library is having a long range planning meeting (5-15 years) and has asked someone from our homeschool support group to attend because homeschoolers use the library. It is not just for homeschoolers but they'd like to know how they could serve the community better. What type of books, resources, classes, programs, etc. does your library offer or would you like to see them offer? Thanks in advance for any ideas! Jennifer You have inspired me... now I'm on a mission to suggest materials for our public library to update and/or add to their collection. I just called them and found out that I have to fill out a special pink slip for each and every book I want to suggest, but if my efforts pay off then it's worth it! Thanks for the idea! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen210 Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 Wow, I just cannot express how much I appreciate all your input. I love these boards even though I don't post often. I learn so much just from everyone else's questions but you have been so helpful to me. We are blessed to have a wonderful library and already have several of the things suggested but there are many new ideas that you have given me. I am printing these out!!!!!!!!!!!! Again, thank you so much. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.