fall in love with your local library

Do you realize what a jewel your local public library is, and do you know how to take full advantage of it?

I Simply Love The Library and Why You Should Too!

Maybe you already know how awesome the library is, but just need to refresh your ideas, or maybe you’ve been missing out on this amazing resource, but either way at the end of this post, I hoe you will fall in love with your local library all over again!

If I had to pick a place that I could stay for days and never want to leave, it would be the library. If I could pick another career to go back and pursue, it just might be library science. I love the book smell, the quiet shuffles and sounds of pages turning and keys tapping. Golly… I just love the library!

Where else can you go in the whole world, and fill up a huge bag full of music and art, and faraway places… Movies and laughs and information, all to take home to your house for nothing? And then take it all back and do it over again!

The local library is truly a gem. No matter how big or small your own local library may be, if you give it a chance, I bet it can enrich your life and/or homeschool so much!

Making Warm childhood memories

I spent many hours of my growing up years with my mom in the library. We would take home big stacks of books to read together at bedtime. Those early days my mom instituted played a big part in why I hope to also help you fall in love with your local library!

Now, I take my kids. My kids love it. They confidently march back to the children’s section saying over their shoulders “I’ll meet you back there, Mama!”.

We leave with a very full rolling cart or tote bag of books and movies, audio books and music. It’s just so good.

That rolling cart I mentioned makes library visits so much easier for us, it was especially helpful in the little years. I don’t have to tote a very heavy bag of books, my kids can pull all their own things on their own now, it’s wonderful! The one I have linked is not the exact one we have, but it’s similar and looks perfect for books! Here is one that is pricier but also soooo beautiful.

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Reasons to Use Your Local Library Often:

Everything is FREE –

You can walk into any library and walk out again with your arms full without spending a single penny. (This is the case at MY library, but I’ve visited a library before that would charge small fees for certain items like movies.)

Like I said before, where can you go and pluck anything that your heart desires off the shelf and take it home to enjoy, for FREE? Nowhere, I say!

If your money is tight, or you have kids, this is especially exiting.

Go shop your local library and get your heart and bag full of goodies without reaching into your wallet once! (Except if you have a late fee balance. Teehee! Definitely pay that in a timely manner.)

For more pinching your pennies type content, here are some ideas:

How we Got Out of Debt and Learned to Manage Our Money

How to Build a Cheap Homeschooling Library

Simple Ways You Can Save Money On Groceries

Big List of the Best Online Homeschool Resources

Resources galore –

Libraries will amaze you if you start checking into what they really offer beside the items on the shelf.

Online Resources –

Ebooks for your iPad or Kindle, online and free memberships to programs that offer downloadable and stream able audio books, new release items, ebooks, TV shows, and more! Access to platforms such as Hoopla, Craftsy and genealogy research websites. Find all these resources by visiting your library’s website! All you usually need is your library card, and you can find all sorts of extra goodies through there!

Programs inside the library for adults and children… Nature and educational events, displays, talks on different subjects, local authors, bands and musical performances, space for the public for tutoring, classes or meetings, children’s’ story and craft times, painted book character pumpkin contests, free wi-fi, computers, copies, any magazine or publication you can think of…

Puzzles and board games to borrow and play at home, music albums and audio books on cd for car trips… The list could go on and on. This stuff is all free.

Speaking of online resources, here is a huge list of my favorite online homeschool resources for you to check out!

Create a homeschool or preschool curriculum heavily based on library materials –

If you are educating your child at home in any fashion, then being able to draw from the material at the library is a huge blessing.

Many books that are needed can simply be borrowed and returned, but you can also check out material and books that you want to inspect before you buy. Many libraries are getting a broader selection of homeschooling, educational, and curriculum based books and materials in their collections. You can also usually request material for the library to stock, and if it’s possible, my library tries to fulfill these requests usually!

I use so many library resources for our homeschool. Every year before school starts, I like to see what books we need and I only order what I can’t find through the library!

It’s also been great to be able to investigate books before purchasing them!

I also plan on checking out many materials having to do with the topics we are talking about at the time. I walk through the aisles and look at all the non-fiction and wonderful literature and get so excited about being able to teach them at home and I even get excited because I know that I will be able to read and learn right alongside her!

More homeschool curriculum links to enjoy:

Free Homeschool Loop Schedule Printable

Make a Homeschool Daily Schedule

Homeschool Kindergarten Planning

Homeschool Curriculum for 2nd Grade

Free Farm Animals Worksheets for Kids

Access Lots of Material On a Tight Budget!

Don’t have the money to go out and buy or download all the music that you wish you could?

Haven’t seen that series that everyone keeps talking about?

Don’t have the opportunity yet to travel to France, to Monet’s garden like you have always dreamed of doing?

Wish you knew what to do about your finances?

Wondered about the migration of hummingbirds?

I think of Olivia Walton (you know I love the Walton’s) who once said on the show, when asked why she needed to go into town to take art lessons, “To be a more interesting person, for all of you, and for myself.”

Yes, I realize that most people now can simply open their laptop or turn on their phone and Google whatever their heart desires. But… there is a difference. Isn’t there?

Educational tools and manipulatives for kids –

Many libraries have these available now… We can borrow boxes to sit and work with while we are there that include games and toys to focus on fine motor skills, color, letter and number recognition and other early skills.

My kids especially loves one that is called the “Mystery Box”, that has many small items that are placed into a box with a hole to stick your hand through and try to find each item by feel only.

She also loves to find a new friend or two at the library while we are in the children’s section and read together or play a game.

Scroll down for helpful links!

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