Does Your Library Have Any Perks For Homeschoolers?

Well, I found out tonight that the librarians consider me that "Homeschooling Mom with the Nice Kids"! They're totally re-doing our library, one area at a time. They added on first, then re-did the downstairs, where non-fiction was. Then they totally re-did the Children's section, and now they're re-doing the final upstairs section where adult fiction and AV was at. So I go into the children's section today, and the one children's librarian started telling me that another person had accidently given me wrong info and she wanted to set it straight. At first I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but she said she was SURE they meant me, because the other gal said it was "the homeschool mom that comes in all the time with the nice kids...." So Molly felt SURE it must be me, lol! But surely I'm not the ONLY one!

 

That's a neat compliment, Jackie! Some of our librarians tease Joyce that they've know her before she was born! We've lived in the same county for about 15 yrs now so even though we've moved, we still use the same system. Occasionally the librarians will sub at another site so we run into ones we haven't seen in awhile. Some of the ladies have watched my kiddos grow up.

Nellie, I'd be in trouble with a hold limit of 4!! Our library recently upped our request limit to 30 per card and I work off of 3 cards so that works well for me! We are able to have 60 items out per card and as long as I have my internet I can usually stay on top of things. We have email notification that lets me know when items are due and also when our holds come in. This past spring, our main library had a homeschool program that I would have loved to go to but we don't get downtown very often. That branch is awesome!! It is totally kid friendly to the point where the built the bottom floor just for a kids room. The murals are all scenes from Where the Wild Things Are and are probably 2 stories high. They always have a really good bunch working at that site.

 

I got you beat, Jen! I work off five cards, plus I have two additional ones to two other libraries that aren't in our system. One is up where Rachael took her speech class, and it's a very small community library, but it has a lot of the old Landmark books that I can't get anywhere else. Central Ohio has the Columbus Library (which is our "main" source), but there's about four or five different community libraries that are not tied into Columbus.

I LOVE having librarians who know my kids!!!

 

I got'cha all beat!
(Snicker...)

Each member of the family has their own library card.
Each card gets to hold unlimited books, gets to check out unlimited books AND media for 3 weeks at a time. Renewable on-line or in person 3 times for a total of 9 weeks each.

Each family member gets one hour a day on the computer system games...

Each family member can use the free high speed wireless internet for free all day unlimited.

We have the story times and such.

The online resources are too many to list.....

There were no homeschool programs so me and a friend go with our library system and CREATED ONE!

Every first friday (Even through the summer) we have "Indoor Park Days". My friend holds her at another library north of me, to spread out the fun.. hers are held on the middle of the month, mine are at the begining.

Here is the description...

Advertised on Library Marquee as: "Empyrean Academy Homeschool Meeting" (Anyone welcome)

Planned to repeat on Each First Friday of Each Month!

ALL AGES! And FREE! Escape the heat, practice INDOOR playtime! Call your friends to meet you there! Sometimes we have 20 people, sometimes we have 100.....

This is an "Indoor Park Day". We meet at the main meeting room on the main floor near the restrooms. Bring your cards, board games, Barbies, G.I.Joes, Hot Wheels, Little Ponies, Lap Top Computer Games or just your self! This is a chance to play games not normally found in a park setting. (Also no running or screaming, please save that for OUTside parks days...)

We will usually have a craft activity to do as well, so dress casual in case you get messy. Inside voices, please. Small snacks and juice boxes are welcome.

Last 15 minutes is for clean up. No drop offs, please. Anyone up for Yahtzee? Go Fish? Checkers or Chess? - Oh! And let's not forget those library books you have been meaning to get back to the library! haha! -

This has become a GREAT resource not just for socializing. but for NETWORKING between parents.

We get lots of people wondering in that have no clue about homeschooling or that are curious about it and find that they have no idea how to get information. So we have a preprinted help list of information that they can take home.

We share phone numbers and email addresses, and invite them to check out the different homeschooling groups in the area.

Because everyone brings their own toys and their own snacks, it costs me nothing.

The crafts are usually minimal in costs because honestly, I buy nearly all our craft stuff at the dollar store and we always have too much, so I take from our personal LFT OVERS. Things I would normally throw away and I use that for th crafty stuff.

Everyone loves it.

I did this because I wanted to foster an inviroment of learning about homeschooling to the general public.

I worked my rear off, all alone, looking for homeschool information and resources, and no that I have found that info, I was shocked that there was no homeschool get togethers at least once a month at the one place where you would find homeschoolers. I don't want people like me, that were starving for the information to not have the information....

I did not want to spoon feed it to lazy people who "Might" be interested in homeschooling. Those people may eventually be too lazy to keep homeschooling a priority and turn out to make homeschooling look like it needs to be regulated. No, I wanted to reach those people whith enough gumption to do what it takes to homeschool and that, to me, meant those who were dilligent enough about their kids homeschooling that they got off their duffs and actually walked into a library...

For that they get this reward... a ton of information to help them on their journey and me and my kids get new friends. It rocks!

I know it sounds a bit elitist of me to say I don't want to spoon feed people, but there are some lazy people out there that are sooo used to the government schools doing everything, that they literally freak out when you tell them that as a homeschool parent they have to do EVERYTHING... they just wanna know what papers they have to sign, etc.. sigh.... :roll: And this one, "Oh! We have to stay with them to hole time??" :roll:

Get out there and MAKE a homeschool program for your kids!

 

Here are some photos fom one library day....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2295585398/sizes/o/in/set-72157603992763484/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2294791035/in/set-72157603992763484/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2295585720/in/set-72157603992763484/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2294791219/in/set-72157603992763484/

This is our meeting room,,,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2506387609/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2507215374/?rotated=1&cb=1211646968476

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2506387503/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2507215186/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchenkam/2506387371/

 

Jen, that is so cool I think this summer, when I get things settle in I might go down and talk to our library about meeting once a month for something like that for homeschoolers. Thanks for the idea.

 

Our children's librarians love us.

They say it's so nice to have kids who can actually find a book using a call number all by themselves.

We can put up to 20 books on hold per card. (We have 3cards.) I try not to get the max everytime because I had one (adult) librarian say how irritated she was that some people just reserve online and come in and run out without ever spending time "browsing." :? She said she wasn't talking about me though because she knows we are there every Thursday for at least an hour.

We have a small library, so I don't know what I'd do without ILL.

Those extended check out plans some of you mentioned sound AWESOME!

 

We love our library and like many of you, they know us by name - which is a big deal with a large family!!
They have many programs and a great summer reading program that starts June 1st!! My kids always enjoy that.