Westerly Sun Column | Resources for Success This School Year

I remember hearing, as a child, that time speeds up the older you get. It seemed like a dream to me at the time, when a trip to Home Depot with my parents felt like it lasted three whole months, but these days I wouldn’t mind time slowing down a bit. I could swear that June just started a few weeks ago, but — impossible as it seems — August is now gone, the stores are filled with Halloween merchandise, and school is already back in session! If September also took you by surprise, don’t forget that the library has resources for students, parents, and teachers, to help make this year a success!

There is a ton of existing research on the benefits of reading, whether that be reading aloud to your children, or reading independently. At the library, you can find books for all interests and reading levels! Parents can search for fun read-alouds that match their children’s interests, or check out the leveled readers and phonics boxes for emerging readers. Even the tiniest future-bookworms will have fun at our storytimes, baby playtimes, or even just looking at the huge collection of board books in the Children’s Room.

If you or someone you know is a teacher, we are here to support you as well. We’re happy to set aside books for classroom research or thematic read-alouds, and our librarians have the best book recommendations. We have more than just books to offer, though. Talk to our Children’s Librarian for information on our mini hydroponics units, which you can borrow and set up in your classroom for a fun and hands-on unit on plant life! If you’re currently homeschooling, we hold a Homeschool Hangout on the last Monday of the month, as well as Dungeons and Dragons groups specifically for homeschooled teens and tweens. There are also plenty of support materials for homeschool parents with lesson plans and activities for all ages and subjects.

Speaking of parenting support and materials: my daughter is only in first grade, so I’m fine for the moment, but I’m already counting down the days before I have a hard time helping with her math homework. I became a librarian for a reason, after all. If you, too, break out in a sweat when your child asks for help, check out “A Parent’s Survival Guide to Common Core Math” by Christen Nine, or “Middle School Math for Parents” by Scott Meltzer. I have also found some unexpected support in other books, such as “Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go!” by J. M. Hirsch, “I Am Never Bored: The Best Ever Craft and Activity Book for Kids” by Sarah Devos, and “Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, and Other Things I Had to Learn As a New Mom” by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. You never know what you’ll come across during a visit to the library!

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian