By Toni McPherson
Special to the Turnagain Times
Preparing your kids for a successful school year is as easy as having books in your home.
An international study (Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations) released this summer shows that children raised in homes with many books gained the equivalent of three more years of schooling than children from bookless homes, regardless of the income or educational level of the parent.
This study just goes to show that our library system is the great equalizer. Anyone with a library card can have books in their homes no matter how much money they have or how many degrees they hold. Plus, letting kids get their own library cards gives them ownership of the books they select and check out, and is a great way to teach responsibility.”
Help your child get ahead by signing them up for a free library card with access to thousands of resources, including online Homework Help. To make it even easier for kids and teens to get cards, youth ages 8-17 no longer need a parent/guardian to accompany them to sign up for a library card. They just need to bring in a completed application—available at www.anchoragelibrary.org or your local library—signed by their parent/guardian. The parent/guardian is encouraged to accompany the youth to the library, but is not required..
A postcard is mailed to the parent/guardian of the youth for address verification. When the youth brings in the postcard, accompanied by their parent/guardian with valid identification, the youth is eligible for full library borrowing privileges. A parent or guardian is still required to be present for children ages 7 and under, to sign up for a library card. The youth receive a card valid for six months
The library has tons of resources to help kids excel. Go to the library’s website at www.AnchorageLibrary.org to access help on topics from math to science to English, study guides and more for elementary, middle and high school students. Loussac and the branches all have places for your kids to study, plenty of books for research and fun, and friendly librarians to help with research questions.
Another great, free tool offered by your library for students from grammar school through high school is the Live Homework Hotline. Access the Hotline through the APL website—the link is on the right side of the page under “Special Services.” After downloading the enabling software, students use their library card number to log on and find the appropriate tutor to help with problems. The tutor asks questions that lead the students to discover answers for themselves.
Attention Pre-School Parents—want to help get your child ready to read? Having trouble reading to a small child with the wiggles? Just need some practical tips on inspiring the love of reading in your child? Check out APL’s Ready to Read Resource Center at www.AnchorageLibrary.org in the KIDS section.
Toni McPherson is the Community Relations Coordinator Anchorage Public Library.
