In Praise of Public Libraries…
Letter from a Home Schooling Mother 

For thirteen years I was a public school educator who utilized materials from many different sources to supplement lessons from the textbooks. When my second child was born, I changed to full-time duties at home.  After making the decision to home school our children, my husband and I quickly sought out other families who were doing the same thing and organized a support group in our small Tennessee town.  

Of course the obvious is true in a one-income family -- money is often tight and the ability to purchase new curriculum materials is limited.  I bought used materials and made many, many trips to the library. Even though the libraries were small, there was a wealth of information we could use to supplement our daily lessons and unit studies.  

Our family has relocated several times and many things have changed.  However, one thing remains the same - our dependence on public libraries. We use the libraries in the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) and have found more than enough opportunities to expand our educational horizons. As our children have grown, so have the variety of resources we are able to use. We take advantage of reference materials, periodicals, educational videotapes, audiotapes, CDs, DVDs, and computers. Many of our study units have been designed based solely on library resources.    

The needs of our family are much like those of other families educating their children. Learning as a way of life is important to us and we foster that by using the materials available at the libraries. During the hours that public/private school students are in class, there is plenty of “elbow room” at the library for research, Internet use, and leisure time to browse; choosing books and materials to supplement lessons. The Springville Road Library provides a Library Tour, which gives an overview of each department to support groups. The Reference Department in particular has many useful resources available.  Instruction is also available for individual students to learn how to use a computer and navigate the library’s Web site.  

The computer lab is another wonderful resource for older students.  It gives a general overview in the use of many programs and specific instruction on software such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. This free service really enhances students’ skills. The JCLC Web site and its gateway to the Alabama Virtual Library’s (AVL) journal articles, encyclopedias, and databases is a never-ending instrument for investigation.  

Most families I know use the library from a very early age. They check out books and read to their children on a regular basis. Storytime is a wonderful opportunity for mothers of young children because it provides a small group environment of learning that enriches the family. The children learn to give attention to the storyteller and interact with other children while participating in the story, music, and activities. The pleasurable experiences learned at this young age instill a love of books and learning that last a lifetime. 

Learning to navigate through the public library and using the tools it provides gives a student an advantage in conducting research at higher levels. With the use of the Internet and public libraries’ resources, it is now possible to build an effective and comprehensive curriculum on a limited budget. Non-fiction books and videotapes are quite valuable in designing whole unit studies using library materials. The free lectures, plays, demonstrations, poetry and book readings, discussions, and civic meetings, such as our neighborhood meeting, all serve to further the reality to our students that the library is more than a repository for books. The public library is the cornerstone of every community.