Homeschoolers & Public Libraries: A Perfect Match
Beginning in the 1970s, the modern homeschooling movement coincided with major changes in the way libraries were serving their communities. School curriculums began to evolve into more project-based lessons along with the rising importance of school libraries. The civil unrest of the period that prompted families to question “big government” entities, such as the public school system, caused them to look elsewhere for education. Caregivers that removed children from the formal school environment looked to local public libraries to provide resources for not only their curriculum, but also aid for themselves on how to best educate at home. According to a 1998 article in the Journal Of Youth Services In Libraries, “Homeschoolers rely heavily on public libraries to provide them with the tools they need. Such resources include, but are not limited to, information on homeschooling, resources for creating and carrying out curriculum, and legal materials. They also need services such as tours and story programs.” (Kleist-Tesch, 1998, p. 231). As the 1980s dawned, a resurgence of fundamentalist Christianity in the United States continued the homeschooling trend and increased the number of families that chose a home-based education (Kleist-Tesch, 1998, p. 232). Legal obstacles continued to plague homeschoolers until laws and regulations began to relax throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. Today, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and the number of homeschooled children continues to grow.
Unquestionably, the modern homeschooling movement spurred the need for resources to aid in education at home and the public library fulfilled this role for many families. The partnership between public libraries and homeschoolers seems to have begun organically. Formal declarations of the new symbiotic relationship do not exist, rather, public libraries undoubtedly responded to community needs as they arose. Brostrom (1995) states, “In the late 1970s it was estimated that between ten and fifteen thousand school-aged children were taught at home in the United States” (p. 2). The most recent National Center for Education Statistics report (2012) placed the number of homeschooled children near the 1.7 million mark and the number continues to grow. Once the influx of homeschoolers started to grow and take hold in libraries, scholarly literature abounds with how librarians and homeschoolers can work together to complete a child’s education and foster lifelong learners.
As early as the early to mid-1980s, some libraries were providing programs and services for homeschooling families. For example, a public library in Pennsylvania supported a nine year-old homeschooled student to conduct preschool story times; the girl chose her own books, rhymes, and finger plays (Avner, 1989). In 1983, the King County Library System not only began giving library tours and workshops aimed at homeschooling families, it also designed an information packet for librarians and homeschoolers that included a summary of Washington homeschooling laws, suggestions for service ideas by local librarians, and useful booklists. Moreover, King County Library participated in the Washington Homeschool Convention in order to be more visible to homeschoolers and active in community education (Avner, 1989).
Conversely, some libraries were only beginning to make sense of the new influx of homeschooling patrons and lacked programs and services altogether. Gemmer (1987) states:
Libraries also have not yet offered many services focused toward homeschoolers because homeschoolers only recently have been identified as a group…we do not know really what size this group is. We do not know what kinds of services or materials are needed or desired by homeschoolers. And, we do not know if homeschoolers are already library users. Some I spoke with commented that they checked out fifty to seventy books every month from their library. But, homeschool literature makes little mention of library use; the Home Educator's Resource Guide lists over 400 Washington State resources for homeschoolers without including even one library! (p. 97).
From the above examples, it is clear that the homeschool-public library relationship was beginning to develop during the 1980s. As Gemmer (1987) points out, “The homeschooling movement is currently in a period of growth and transition. It may never involve a large percentage of the population, but it is a group of children who are not served by school libraries” (p. 98). The fact that some libraries offered homeschool programs and resources while others did not during this period can be viewed in a positive light if only to demonstrate that a partnership was eminent; professional literature was beginning to address the homeschooling demographic in the public library because there was an interest and a need.
The earliest studies of homeschoolers’ use of public libraries were conducted in the early 1990s by Gemmer (1991) and Schwartz (1991). Schwartz (1991) distributed a questionnaire to the 1,175 families attending the 1991 state convention of the Christian Home Educators of Ohio. The Washington Homeschool Research Project distributed a questionnaire to 165 home schoolers in Whatcom County, Washington (Gemmer, 1991). Both studies found that a majority of homeschoolers used prepared curriculum but nearly all (99 percent) used the public library for additional resources and programs (Wikel, 1995). Furthermore, a survey conducted by Wikel (1995) at a public library in Waco, Texas provides a glimpse into how involved some libraries and staff were with homeschooling patrons during the mid-1990s. According to Wikel (1995):
The high patronage by home schoolers seems to be largely due to the attitude of the branch's managing librarian. She is so supportive of home schoolers that she designated a portion of the budget to purchase materials that they recommend via input from a selection committee of home schoolers. The branch librarian also allocates a display area for home schoolers' artwork, and provides monthly library skills courses, computer skills classes and a tutoring program for them. She made arrangements with the adjacent city recreational facility for home schoolers to use the gym for physical education classes, and she speaks at the annual local home-school association meeting in Waco. (p. 15).
Although the level of involvement at the public library branch in Texas was probably more an exception than the rule, public libraries were presumably seeking and embracing a more visible and active role in the lives of homeschoolers; laws and regulations for homeschooling were more relaxed by the 1990s and the “normalization” of home-based education continued to grow. Furthermore, Anderson (1996) states:
The 90s has seen a tremendous growth in "crisis homeschooling," where in sheer desperation a parent removes their child from a painful, disastrous school situation. It may be that a child is threatened at school, is influenced by a bad peer group, or has somehow "fallen through the cracks" into a cycle of failure. These desperate parents soon find out that the school district is not legally required to help them, and in most cases they cannot borrow textbooks, curriculum guides, etc. Where do these parents in crisis go for help? You guessed it--they will end up at the public library, needing your help! (p. 22).
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, librarians could find a plethora of books, professional literature, and other resources regarding homeschooling to help them better serve these unique patrons. This fact enforces the idea that homeschoolers were being served in public libraries in larger numbers. For example, the book Helping Homeschoolers in the Library by Adrienne Furness published in 2008 is a valuable guide for librarians. Organized into two parts, the first part of the book “explores philosophies and trends in homeschooling and places them in context, giving librarians enough knowledge to begin to understand homeschoolers’ wide variety of needs along with resources and a vocabulary that will allow them to approach homeschoolers with some confidence” (p. V). The second part of the book is filled with ideas for connecting with patrons and building library programs and services for homeschoolers. Perhaps most helpful are the “Profile” sections that are sprinkled throughout the book that provide real-world stories of both homeschooling families and libraries.
A brief scan of the literature and resources available to librarians highlights the pervasiveness of technology in education. Today, libraries provide instruction on media literacy in a technology-saturated culture. Where once libraries might have been the only place a family could have reliable access to a computer for basic curriculum purposes, now librarians are increasingly used as a resource to navigate the millions of resources at a patron’s fingertips both at the library and remotely. Indeed, a recent study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (2012) ranked websites and public libraries as highly used curriculum sources by homeschooling families. According to the report, websites, homeschooling catalogs, public libraries, and bookstores were the more frequently cited sources of curriculum for homeschooled students in 2012 (NCES, 2012). Public Library was listed as a source of curriculum and books by 70% of respondents (NCES, 2012).
Unquestionably, the modern homeschooling movement spurred the need for resources to aid in education at home and the public library fulfilled this role for many families. The partnership between public libraries and homeschoolers seems to have begun organically. Formal declarations of the new symbiotic relationship do not exist, rather, public libraries undoubtedly responded to community needs as they arose. Brostrom (1995) states, “In the late 1970s it was estimated that between ten and fifteen thousand school-aged children were taught at home in the United States” (p. 2). The most recent National Center for Education Statistics report (2012) placed the number of homeschooled children near the 1.7 million mark and the number continues to grow. Once the influx of homeschoolers started to grow and take hold in libraries, scholarly literature abounds with how librarians and homeschoolers can work together to complete a child’s education and foster lifelong learners.
As early as the early to mid-1980s, some libraries were providing programs and services for homeschooling families. For example, a public library in Pennsylvania supported a nine year-old homeschooled student to conduct preschool story times; the girl chose her own books, rhymes, and finger plays (Avner, 1989). In 1983, the King County Library System not only began giving library tours and workshops aimed at homeschooling families, it also designed an information packet for librarians and homeschoolers that included a summary of Washington homeschooling laws, suggestions for service ideas by local librarians, and useful booklists. Moreover, King County Library participated in the Washington Homeschool Convention in order to be more visible to homeschoolers and active in community education (Avner, 1989).
Conversely, some libraries were only beginning to make sense of the new influx of homeschooling patrons and lacked programs and services altogether. Gemmer (1987) states:
Libraries also have not yet offered many services focused toward homeschoolers because homeschoolers only recently have been identified as a group…we do not know really what size this group is. We do not know what kinds of services or materials are needed or desired by homeschoolers. And, we do not know if homeschoolers are already library users. Some I spoke with commented that they checked out fifty to seventy books every month from their library. But, homeschool literature makes little mention of library use; the Home Educator's Resource Guide lists over 400 Washington State resources for homeschoolers without including even one library! (p. 97).
From the above examples, it is clear that the homeschool-public library relationship was beginning to develop during the 1980s. As Gemmer (1987) points out, “The homeschooling movement is currently in a period of growth and transition. It may never involve a large percentage of the population, but it is a group of children who are not served by school libraries” (p. 98). The fact that some libraries offered homeschool programs and resources while others did not during this period can be viewed in a positive light if only to demonstrate that a partnership was eminent; professional literature was beginning to address the homeschooling demographic in the public library because there was an interest and a need.
The earliest studies of homeschoolers’ use of public libraries were conducted in the early 1990s by Gemmer (1991) and Schwartz (1991). Schwartz (1991) distributed a questionnaire to the 1,175 families attending the 1991 state convention of the Christian Home Educators of Ohio. The Washington Homeschool Research Project distributed a questionnaire to 165 home schoolers in Whatcom County, Washington (Gemmer, 1991). Both studies found that a majority of homeschoolers used prepared curriculum but nearly all (99 percent) used the public library for additional resources and programs (Wikel, 1995). Furthermore, a survey conducted by Wikel (1995) at a public library in Waco, Texas provides a glimpse into how involved some libraries and staff were with homeschooling patrons during the mid-1990s. According to Wikel (1995):
The high patronage by home schoolers seems to be largely due to the attitude of the branch's managing librarian. She is so supportive of home schoolers that she designated a portion of the budget to purchase materials that they recommend via input from a selection committee of home schoolers. The branch librarian also allocates a display area for home schoolers' artwork, and provides monthly library skills courses, computer skills classes and a tutoring program for them. She made arrangements with the adjacent city recreational facility for home schoolers to use the gym for physical education classes, and she speaks at the annual local home-school association meeting in Waco. (p. 15).
Although the level of involvement at the public library branch in Texas was probably more an exception than the rule, public libraries were presumably seeking and embracing a more visible and active role in the lives of homeschoolers; laws and regulations for homeschooling were more relaxed by the 1990s and the “normalization” of home-based education continued to grow. Furthermore, Anderson (1996) states:
The 90s has seen a tremendous growth in "crisis homeschooling," where in sheer desperation a parent removes their child from a painful, disastrous school situation. It may be that a child is threatened at school, is influenced by a bad peer group, or has somehow "fallen through the cracks" into a cycle of failure. These desperate parents soon find out that the school district is not legally required to help them, and in most cases they cannot borrow textbooks, curriculum guides, etc. Where do these parents in crisis go for help? You guessed it--they will end up at the public library, needing your help! (p. 22).
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, librarians could find a plethora of books, professional literature, and other resources regarding homeschooling to help them better serve these unique patrons. This fact enforces the idea that homeschoolers were being served in public libraries in larger numbers. For example, the book Helping Homeschoolers in the Library by Adrienne Furness published in 2008 is a valuable guide for librarians. Organized into two parts, the first part of the book “explores philosophies and trends in homeschooling and places them in context, giving librarians enough knowledge to begin to understand homeschoolers’ wide variety of needs along with resources and a vocabulary that will allow them to approach homeschoolers with some confidence” (p. V). The second part of the book is filled with ideas for connecting with patrons and building library programs and services for homeschoolers. Perhaps most helpful are the “Profile” sections that are sprinkled throughout the book that provide real-world stories of both homeschooling families and libraries.
A brief scan of the literature and resources available to librarians highlights the pervasiveness of technology in education. Today, libraries provide instruction on media literacy in a technology-saturated culture. Where once libraries might have been the only place a family could have reliable access to a computer for basic curriculum purposes, now librarians are increasingly used as a resource to navigate the millions of resources at a patron’s fingertips both at the library and remotely. Indeed, a recent study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (2012) ranked websites and public libraries as highly used curriculum sources by homeschooling families. According to the report, websites, homeschooling catalogs, public libraries, and bookstores were the more frequently cited sources of curriculum for homeschooled students in 2012 (NCES, 2012). Public Library was listed as a source of curriculum and books by 70% of respondents (NCES, 2012).
The correlation between libraries and technology is no coincidence. Many libraries seem to be embracing the role of providing information access by means of technology. Although Internet access seems universal to some, patrons still rely on this service. Additionally, libraries are reinventing themselves as community spaces and destinations for families. The recent makerspace trend in public libraries provides opportunities for homeschool students who might not otherwise have the means to create and design such projects. From recording studios to 3-D printing, libraries today continue to evolve and are changing the way in which students learn and engage.
Furthermore, audio and visual collections have become increasingly important in many library settings. For students, these collections mean access to different formats and learning opportunities. Moreover, different learning methods are accommodated by the diversity in library collection formats. As Lamb (Use: Teaching, Learning, & Media Literacy, n.d.) highlights:
People come to library programs with different sets of expectations and experiences. They also come with varied learning styles. While some will be motivated by a video, others will be drawn into an audiobook or music activity. The key is to provide a variety of learning experiences to meet individual differences. This type of dynamic learning environment is known as a differentiated classroom…Librarians, media specialists, technology coordinators and other teachers all play a vital role in selecting and organizing technology-rich resources as well as designing the learning environment.
By offering a rich audio and visual collection in addition to traditional resources, public libraries provide homeschoolers with an immersive educational experience like never before.
For example, the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana offers Maker Labs at both the Main Library and Georgetown branch. Between these two Maker Labs, patrons can enjoy programs such as “Tinkercad for Beginners”; “Upcycling CDs”; “Minecraft Club”; and “3D Printing 101.” Additionally, these Maker Labs have operating hours that accommodate both scheduled library programs and “open” time for patrons who wish to create on their own schedule. The ACPL website proudly boasts:
In the Maker Lab at Georgetown we have a 3D printer, 3D scanner, Dremel workstation, Electronics Workbench complete with soldering iron, heat rework, an oscilloscope and power supply, Arduino kits for classes, two sewing machines, a serger, vinyl cutter, several laptops with Adobe Creative Suite and Scratch, and iPads with several apps on them.
In the Maker Lab at Main we have a 3D printer, 3D scanner, audio recording station, VHS to DVD conversion, sewing machines, Electronics Workbench complete with soldering iron, heat rework, an oscilloscope and power supply, vinyl cutter, computer stations with Adobe Creative Suite, and cameras available for check out.
The Main library even features a makerspace in the Children’s Department that is specifically geared toward children 11 years old and younger. It is available during the library’s operating hours. Pictured below is the Children's Department Makerspace and projects created using the lab (images from the ACPL website).
Furthermore, audio and visual collections have become increasingly important in many library settings. For students, these collections mean access to different formats and learning opportunities. Moreover, different learning methods are accommodated by the diversity in library collection formats. As Lamb (Use: Teaching, Learning, & Media Literacy, n.d.) highlights:
People come to library programs with different sets of expectations and experiences. They also come with varied learning styles. While some will be motivated by a video, others will be drawn into an audiobook or music activity. The key is to provide a variety of learning experiences to meet individual differences. This type of dynamic learning environment is known as a differentiated classroom…Librarians, media specialists, technology coordinators and other teachers all play a vital role in selecting and organizing technology-rich resources as well as designing the learning environment.
By offering a rich audio and visual collection in addition to traditional resources, public libraries provide homeschoolers with an immersive educational experience like never before.
For example, the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana offers Maker Labs at both the Main Library and Georgetown branch. Between these two Maker Labs, patrons can enjoy programs such as “Tinkercad for Beginners”; “Upcycling CDs”; “Minecraft Club”; and “3D Printing 101.” Additionally, these Maker Labs have operating hours that accommodate both scheduled library programs and “open” time for patrons who wish to create on their own schedule. The ACPL website proudly boasts:
In the Maker Lab at Georgetown we have a 3D printer, 3D scanner, Dremel workstation, Electronics Workbench complete with soldering iron, heat rework, an oscilloscope and power supply, Arduino kits for classes, two sewing machines, a serger, vinyl cutter, several laptops with Adobe Creative Suite and Scratch, and iPads with several apps on them.
In the Maker Lab at Main we have a 3D printer, 3D scanner, audio recording station, VHS to DVD conversion, sewing machines, Electronics Workbench complete with soldering iron, heat rework, an oscilloscope and power supply, vinyl cutter, computer stations with Adobe Creative Suite, and cameras available for check out.
The Main library even features a makerspace in the Children’s Department that is specifically geared toward children 11 years old and younger. It is available during the library’s operating hours. Pictured below is the Children's Department Makerspace and projects created using the lab (images from the ACPL website).
Additionally, it is common to find public libraries hosting a variety of other unique and innovative programs specifically designed for homeschoolers. Mooresville Public Library in Mooresville, Indiana offers three different homeschool programs: Homeschool Book Club, Homeschool Library Explorers, and Homeschool Lego Club. The monthly book club is designed for students aged 7-12 where books are discussed, along with snacks and an activity. Also designed for students aged 7-12, the Homeschool Library Explorers program is a STEAM-based program that provides activities for students. The third program is for students of all ages and provides a different Lego challenge each month.
The Greenwood Public Library in Greenwood, Indiana also offers a variety of homeschooling programs and resources for families. The library's website features a dedicated Homeschool page that provides helpful links for both parents and students; the library offers links to homeschooling organizations, subject guides, homeschooling blogs and websites, support groups, and field trip resources, to name only a few. The Greenwood Public Library's homeschool mission is to provide "resources and programming that support homeschool curriculum, enhance literacy skills, and provides opportunities for socialization. We welcome the opportunity to supplement your homeschooling activities." The library offers computer classes, research classes, hosts science, history, and reading projects, holds spelling bees and book beat competitions, and has directed theater productions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Princess Bride (J. Smith, personal communication, March, 21, 2017). Greenwood Public library is a wonderful example of a rich and fluid relationship that can develop between homeschoolers and the public library.
Today, homeschoolers have become an expected and normal patron demographic for most public libraries. The American Library Association sponsors workshops and publications dedicated to serving this population. As recent as November 2016, an ALA sponsored workshop titled Making Your Library Work for Homeschoolers was held in Chicago. Learning outcomes listed for the workshop included:
- Gain an understanding of the benefits of serving homeschoolers
- Learn easy steps to build a comprehensive service plan for your homeschooling communities
- Have resources and tools easily available to help you serve your homeschooling populations
Additionally, the ALA website has a page dedicated to homeschooling resources for librarians. However, the page is less than desirable; none of the books or articles listed on the page were published after 1999. Although the ALA website is in need of updated resources for librarians, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) published the Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers toolkit in 2015. A culmination of a year-long project, the toolkit is available for free online and provides librarians with “a brief introduction; subject headings and keywords for catalog and online searching; resources for further study including organizations, online and print resources; subject matter experts within the library community; and examples of existing partnerships between libraries and community organizations.” The toolkit is designed to help libraries that are just beginning to develop programs and services for homeschoolers and those seeking enhancements to existing offerings.
In addition to professional literature, librarians interested in serving homeschoolers will now find blogs, websites, Pinterest boards, YouTube videos, podcasts, wiki pages, and other non-traditional sources for inspiration and resources. The proliferation of technology and online resources has nurtured the growing relationship between homeschoolers and public libraries.