According to the New York State Office for Reporting and Technology, there were nearly 2000 homeschooled children in Monroe County last year. Thanks to a NYS Parent and Child Services Grant from the New York State Library, the Chili, Greece, Parma, and Webster public libraries have partnered to provide targeted services to these homeschooled kids and their families.

Over the past year, our librarians have been busy with a lot of behind-the-scenes work that we’re just starting to see hit library shelves. Each library has designated a special area for homeschoolers in their children’s rooms that includes homeschooling books, curriculum and supply catalogs, and information about the laws pertaining to homeschooling in New York State. The selection of books includes classic titles such as John Holt’s How Children Learn and newer titles such as Cathy Duffy’s 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. These sections also contain brochures to help families find information on such frequently-studied topics as New York State History and safety issues. 

In addition to materials pertaining to homeschooling itself, each participating library has picked a subject specialty to build on: Chili focusing on history, Greece on languages, Parma on the arts, and Webster on science. This September, each library will debut multimedia subject kits connected to their subject. Each kit contains various media – including fiction, nonfiction, CDs, DVDs, and games – around a particular topic geared toward children in the equivalent of grades K-2 or grades 3-5. Many kits take a multidisciplinary approach and pull together items that would normally be in many different areas of the library and will introduce parents and kids to sources they may not have otherwise known about.

In the coming year, we’ll also be doing a number of special programs for homeschoolers. Each library will be hosting library orientations for homeschooled kids. (See specific dates and times below.) Additionally, the Webster Public Library will be offering a hands-on computer class on finding fiction by subject to homeschooling parents on Wednesday, October 18 from 2:00-3:00 and a Science Fair for homeschoolers of all ages on Wednesday, March 14 from 1:00-4:00. This event will include a presentation by the Rochester Museum and Science Center as well as time for homeschooled kids to display their projects.

The next several months will see more subject kits and other exciting resources we hope will be interesting to homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike. For more information, visit a participating library or contact Grant Coordinator Melissa Painton at mpainton@frontiernet.net or 872-7075 x129.

Library Orientations for Homeschoolers
Greece Public Library (link to: http://www.libraryweb.org/greece/)
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
1:00-2:00pm: Grades K-2
2:00-3:00pm: Grades 3-5

Webster Public Library (link to: http://www.websterlibrary.org)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
1:00-2:00pm: Ages 5-8
2:00-3:00pm: Ages 8-11

Chili Public Library (link to: http://www.libraryweb.org/chili/)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
1:00-2:00pm: Grades K-2
2:00-3:00pm: Grades 3-5

Parma Public Library (link to: http://www.libraryweb.org/parma/)
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
1:00-2:00pm: Grades K-2
2:00-3:00pm: Grades 3-5

Subject Kits for Homeschoolers (PDF)
NEW Homeschooling Books (PDF)