5 Tips For Using the Library as a Homeschool Family

Visiting the library can be a great way to expand learning opportunities, test books before buying, and explore out-of-print books.

Confession: I Haven't Always Been a Good Library Mom

I must admit, I haven't been a good library mom. Our kids can probably count the number of times I've brought them to the library. Between taking extra good care of the books, keeping four kids quiet and calm, and quickly auditing books for content (only to miss something and march the books straight back to the car), the library just hasn't been a big part of our homeschool journey.

Giving the Library Another Try

This year I decided to give it another go. Honestly, I mostly went to get a card for Libby. After realizing Libby doesn't have most of what I was looking for, we started bringing baskets of books home!

What We've Enjoyed Most

Our kids love playing chess. We checked out several chess books, and our oldest son picked his favorite, which we then purchased. With physical bookstores becoming scarce, the library is a great way to try books out before buying.

Old Advice Is Still Good Advice

Some things don't change much over the decades. Advice that's as old as my grandma is still good advice on many fronts, maybe even better! I found a great book on gardening in a cold climate that I never would have come across without the library. It gives us access to books we'd likely never find otherwise.

Less Clutter

We own plenty of books. I'm a total fan of owning the ones you'll use again and again. But I'm becoming more of a fan of experience books we don't need to keep, just enjoy for a few weeks. Less stuff, less clutter. I'm not forced to store 20 new books, but we still get to enjoy them!

A Library Testimony

Our first year using That It May Go Well, I was determined to go to the library. It was a main part of our learning plan. We did go, with mixed success on our book choices. Partway through the year, we were incredibly blessed to visit the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum (if you ever have the chance, GO! Both are amazing!). What I didn't expect was the amazing bookstores connected to both. We came home with an extra suitcase full of books, and I truly believe it was one of the reasons the Lord opened the door for that trip.

Within weeks of getting home, thanks to a huge amount of snow that year, the library closest to us collapsed. It was closed for a lengthy time, but praise the Lord, we had books! God always provides. He always, always knows what is coming, down to the small details that matter to us but seem minor in the big scheme of the world. He is faithful. Follow His leading! The books we bought on that trip are among my most recommended resources. We use them every school year, and they're such a blessing!

Using the Library for Unit Studies

This year we're leaning on the library more heavily for our unit studies. We've already covered WWII and the moon with library books, plus hands-on activities. Read more about how we use unit studies in our homeschool year here.

5 Library Tips for Homeschool Families

1. Set boundaries. Give your children an idea of what to expect and what types of books you want them to choose. (I said 3-4 books each, and at least two need to fit your unit study topic.) Also, don’t forget to reserve the right to veto any book that doesn’t agree with Biblical truth. Unfortunately we still occasionally have to return some to the car when we get home for things we missed. For older kids I use these moments more for training in apologetics. Often, the falacy of things like the Big Bang is clear even to young children!

2. Bring a basket! I can't recommend this enough. We brought a giant basket the second time we went. The books go in, stay in at home to keep them together, and they're ready for the trip back when it's time to return them.

3. Visit without the younger kids sometimes. On our first trip to a new-to-us library, I had just one of our kids with me. It let me learn the sections without managing everyone. I hope to take just our older kids back a few times this year for longer stretches to explore and find books.

4. Go with a plan, but be willing to change it. The sheer number of nonfiction books is fantastic! Nuclear energy for kids? Who knew we were interested?! Having a plan but staying flexible lets your kids discover topics they didn't know they'd love.

5. Don't bring everything home in one day. Too many directions, especially when you're using books for a unit study, can feel scattered and counterproductive. Choose a few books clustered around 1-2 main topics. Make a note, physical or mental, of what to grab on your next trip.