School Days are Here Again

By Jerry Jones, Youth Services Coordinator

August 19, 2009

I was recently rummaging through a bedroom closet and found a box full of artwork, essays, report cards and other memories I had saved from my kids’ days in school. 

I noticed that some assignments were predictable, repeating year after year.  Others presented new and exciting challenges to work through, not only for my children, but for me as a parent!

Now that the first couple days of school have come and gone, the realities of schoolyear routines and homework challenges may be starting to settle in.  As your children begin to face both predictable and new assignments, remember your public library is a great place to find help and information.

When your kindergartner needs to find some facts about their favorite animal or an older child must complete a report on a state or country, your library is the place to turn for books, encyclopedias and other materials you will find helpful to complete assignments.

One of my favorite things about working in the library is the opportunity to match kids with just the right book to read.  Feel free to ask children’s library staff for recommendations for a book report, a research project or just reading for fun.

Lexile levels are often part of the criteria that must be met for your child’s reading assignments and can be a bit daunting to identify on your own.  This is another concern library staff can help you with.

You can also find Lexile information through your online library 24 hours a day at www.natronacountylibrary.org.   Go to “Search the Online Resources” and click on the “Books & Literature” link to find the Novelist K-8 search tool.

After logging in with your library card # and PIN, the Novelist advanced search will allow you to look for age-appropriate books in a defined Lexile range.  A library staff member would be glad to show you how this works.

Another great online service offered by your library is Live Homework Help® powered by tutor.com and sponsored by the Natrona County Recreation Joint Powers Board.  This online tutoring service is available every day from 3-9 p.m. from any computer with internet access.  Professional tutors provide help for all grade levels in Math, Science, English or Social Studies. 

When your child needs a report proofread or has homework questions that stump you, Live Homework Help can be a great resource, available right from the library’s homepage. 

One more way the library helps families during the school year is by offering extended hours so that we are available when students need our help. Beginning August 30, NCPL will be open Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

As you embark on an exciting new school year with your children, keep in mind that your library and its friendly staff are here to help.  Whether you just need a book or could use personalized help in finding the right materials or information, NCPL is a great resource to help your children succeed.

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