As a homeschooler you will be using the library quite often. In this post, you will find things such as how to use the library, tricks for keeping track of library books, and more!
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How the Library is Organized
Most libraries are organized according to the Dewey decimal system. Here is a simplified version of how this works:
Fiction
In the fiction section the books are organized alphabetically by the last name of the author.
Nonfiction
Each book in a nonfiction section is assigned a class. Each class is a different topic. There are 10 classes, and each of these classes is divided into 10 categories. Each category is further divided into 10 subdivisions. All of the classes, categories, and subdivisions have different numbers assigned to them. The numbers after the decimal indicate more specific topics within the classes.This is the number you see on the spine of the book and is referred to as the call number. The 10 classes of the Dewey decimal system are:
000 Computer science, information, and general works
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Language
500 Science
600 Technology and applied science
700 Arts and recreation
800 Literature
900 History and geography
Inter-Library Loans
Many libraries participate in the inter-library loan program. This is where your local library will let you borrow a book from another library if the local library doesn’t have it. The other library will be anywhere in the United States. After you request a book, the other library sends the book to your local library and you check it out from them. Some libraries in rural areas may not participate in this program.
Reserving Books Online
Have you ever gone to the library for books on a specific topic and not been able to find what you needed? Did you know you can reserve books online? You just log into your local library’s website, search for books and then put a hold on the ones that you want. Even if the books are in your local library at the time, the librarians will gather up everything you requested and put it on the hold shelf for you. The library then notifies you that your books are in.
Reserving books about the subjects you are studying in your homeschool is a better use of time than browsing the library shelves every week hoping to find something pertinent. Looking online also gives you a better selection than the shelves may have.
Checking out Large Amounts of Books
As a homeschooler, you will probably visit the library quite frequently. Carrying all of the books out can be a challenge. Here are some ideas!
- Keep reusable tote bags in your car. Take them into the library to bring books home in, and then store the library books in the same tote bags. When you take the books back, they are already in the tote bag so you don’t need to worry about forgetting your bag when you go to the library. If you are really organized you could even assign a different color to each child, or a different color to each subject.
- If you have a large number of books, a rolling suitcase is a great option for carrying them. It is easy to carry books throughout the library, and it is easy to take the books out to your car. Putting a heavy suitcase into your car is difficult, so keep that in mind if you choose to use this method.
- If you are pushing a stroller full of kids, you can use the tote bag idea if it will fit under the stroller. You can also get some backpacks with side release buckles so you can buckle the top of your backpack around the stroller handles. Be aware that if the backpack is heavier than the kids in the stroller, the stroller will tip over backward if you let go.
Avoiding Late Fees
The best way to keep track of library books is to have a specific place for them. After someone finishes reading a library book, it has to go back to the library book spot. Ideally, this place will be high enough that the baby can’t reach, but low enough that the younger kids can still have easy access. It is also easier to keep track of library books if they are in a separate spot away from the other books.
You can usually renew a book three times. Again, this may vary from library to library. If you lose a book you can keep renewing it to give yourself more time to find it. After your renewals run out, you can pay for the cost of the whole book before any late fees kick in. When you find the book you can take it back to the library and they will give you your money back if it is within a year.
Make sure you check with your local library to see what their exact rules are. Some libraries don’t do this. They tend to have a policy that if you lose it you pay for it, and you don’t get your money back if you find the book later.
Resources at the library
The library can be an amazing source of extracurricular things to add to your homeschool. Our library has stem classes for different age groups every week. The library in the next town over has a program where you can read to a therapy dog. Our library has had craft classes, painting classes, presentations, book groups, shows, writing groups, game days, Lego weeks, and weekly storytimes.
You can also access Mango (a foreign language learning program) and Lynda.com ( a website with classes in business, design, etc.) for free by using your library card to log in. You can check out ukuleles and at least once a year they have a learn to play the ukulele class. In the summer the library has a program where if you read for 10 hours you can get a free book. If you make a plan to learn something over the summer then you can be entered to win a prize.
The library is such a wonderful resource for homeschooling. If you have only been using your library for checking out books, I urge you to look deeper. Talk to a librarian and see what else your library offers. They may even be open to suggestions!