Homeschooling is on the rise around the state (and the nation), and libraries are serving an increasing number of homeschooling families. There are special opportunities and challenges when serving this population, and there are an increasing number of resources available to help. Hopefully, this web page will give you some useful tools as you come up with a plan for serving homeschoolers.
First of all, who homeschools?
What are we doing? What can we do?
Homeschooling Support Groups
Homeschooling Websites
Homeschooling Books
Homeschooling Magazines
First of all, who homeschools?
Two percent of school aged children in Wisconsin are homeschooled-the number of homeschooled children has increased by 12% since 1999, while the number of kids in public schools has only increased by 1%.
There are really as many reasons for homeschooling as there are homeschooling families. Many homeschooling families do so for religious reasons, but many families choose to school at home because they feel their educational philosophy is not supported in a school setting. Others feel they can better meet their children's educational, academic or physical needs better at home, or maintain a healthier and more unified family through homeschooling. Many families homeschool for a combination of the above, and some for reasons not listed.
Homeschooling parents are committed to providing an excellent environment to learning for their children, and most of them rely heavily on public libraries to help them do so.
. : back to top
Homeschoolers are often excellent advocates for the library, a great volunteer base for projects and programs, and they will improve your circulation numbers with their giant stacks of books!
Sometimes homeschoolers are elusive. For a variety of reasons, it can be difficult to reach out to them as a group. Once you find one family you can usually get the word out about your programs and resources to many others. Often there are support or study groups, which can be a great way to promote library resources, including internet access, Badgerlink, programs, and materials. Work with the families to determine what kinds of support they are looking for from the library.
Homeschoolers typically use interlibrary loan heavily. Some families are using a curriculum that requires many out-of-print and archaic books. Some libraries have found that they need to place a limit on the number of materials a family can request each week.
Families doing unit studies may want to check out everything in your library on a certain topic, and want to keep it for longer. Some libraries give homeschooling parents the same benefits that they give to school teachers, including a longer loan period. Most families will be very receptive to limits that will ensure that some materials about a topic are still available to other library users. If your library is a member of one of the shared systems, you may find that this is less of an issue, as families can find many materials at other libraries as well.
According to information on various homeschooling websites, one thing that homeschoolers most wish for from libraries is a resource file. The file could include contact information about local homeschool groups, information about the Wisconsin state law, information about the Wisconsin Parents Association, and other local resources. Providing space for displaying artwork, a bulletin board for homeschoolers to communicate with each other, and space for playgroups and classes are easy ways to accommodate the needs of this group.
Though most homeschoolers do not expect libraries to provide a packaged curriculum, they do hope for materials that will support their curriculum, including general books and magazines about homeschooling(see attached list), unabridged books on tape, nonfiction videos, and other basic elements of a library collection.
Many homeschooling families are active participants in library programming for the general public. Multi-age, family-oriented programs are often very well received. If the homeschoolers in your area are interested, you may want to offer some tours and instructional workshops about the OPAC and other resources and databases. The library could organize a curriculum swap, where people can sell or trade their materials with each other.
One of the most important things you can give homeschoolers is respect for their choices. Providing them with excellent service is one way of doing that. If all this sounds like a lot of work, you will find that the payoff in great library supporters, increased circulation, and some really wonderful children is well worth the effort.
Below, you will find a bibliography of general homeschooling books and magazines, as well as websites that deal with homeschooling.
. : back to top
Wisconsin Parent's Association http://www.homeschooling-wpa.org/
Barron, Dunn, Pierce, Pepin, St. Croix and Polk Counties--Rebecca Kilde: 715-772-4545
Chippewa, Eau Claire, Price and Rusk Counties-Barbara and David Duerkop of Fairchild 715-334-3583.
Minnesota Homeschoolers Alliance: 1-888-346-7622 or email mha@homeschoolers.org
: back to top
A to Z Home's Cool
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/ Includes bibliographies, articles of interest to homeschoolers on practical and philosophical information, and resources for getting started.
American Homeschool Association
www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org
This site contains many well-organized pages on practical and philosophical topics. Also includes book reviews, resources, and links to other websites of use to homeschoolers.
Home Education Magazine
www.home-ed-magazine.com
The website of Home Education Magazine, this site contains questions and answers, information on getting started, and networking.
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page
www.midnightbeach.com/hs/
"a source of neutral, non-commercial homeschooling information for over ten years now.I [am not] advocating any position or methodology." Contains over 140 pages of information and links.
Practical Homeschooling
www.home-school.com
From the publishers of Practical Homeschooling magazine. Includes lots of information about homeschooling in general, including what is going on internationally. Contains some advertisements. From a Christian perspective.
Unschooling
www.unschooling.com
Contains essays from experienced homeschoolers, definitions of what unschooling is, newsletters, and message boards on a variety of topics of interest.
Well-Trained Mind
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
Information, FAQs, blogs, resources, and much food for thought about classical home education.
Wisconsin Christian Home Educators Association
www.wisconsinchea.com
This site has information about Wisconsin State Law, as well as local support groups, Spring and Fall Conferences, and information about WCHEA's homeschooling publication, The Comprehensive Guide to Homeschooling in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Parents Association
www.homeschooling-wpa.org/
Information on their publication and yearly conference is available here, as well as a list of regional contact people for local support groups.
. : back to top
Professional Collection
Lerch, Maureen T. and Janet Welch. Serving Homeschooled Teens and Their Parents. Libraries Unlimited, 2004. (ISBN 0313320527)
This book suggests a comprehensive approach to serving homeschoolers, and comes from a perspective of a library that has committed substantial staff time, space, and money to the project. However, it is chock-full of excellent bibliographies and resources. It would be good to look at if you need ideas.
Wisconsin Parent's Association. Homeschooling in Wisconsin: At Home with Learning (5th Edition). Wisconsin Parent's Association, 2001. (ISBN 0-9651864-1-5)
The Wisconsin Parent's Association is a diverse group of homeschooling parents who work to maintain and improve state homeschooling laws and provide support to homeschooling parents across the state. This book explains the state law, including how to comply with it as a homeschooler. It also has many useful tips about getting started, curriculum, and burnout, among other things. Every Wisconsin library should have a copy of this book!
. : back to top
Home Education Magazine
Non sectarian, some practical ideas, some philosophy, tends toward unschooling.
http://www.home-ed-magazine.com
Home Education Press
P.O. Box 1083
Tonasket, WA 98855
(800)236-3278
Home Educator's Family Times
Non-sectarian, practical ideas
http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/
P.O. Box 708
Gray, ME 04039
(207) 657-2800
Homeschooling Today
Christian-based
http://www.homeschooltoday.com
P.O. Box 436
Barker, TX 77413
(281)492-6050
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Christian-based
http://www.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com
P.O. Box 185
Cool, CA 95614
(530) 823-0447
Practical Homeschooling
Christian-based
http://www.home-school.com
Home Life, Inc.
1731 Smizer Mill Road
Fenton, MO 63026
(800) 346-6322
Compiled by Leah Langby
IFLS Library Development and Youth ServicesCoordinator
updated June 2008
. : back to top