The green and white encyclopedia loomed large in my childhood. My parents bought the set from a traveling salesman, a great expense for our household. We used it at our kitchen table to complete homework assignments and to settle disputes about geography, history or biography.
Today my parents wouldn’t have to make such a costly investment.
While encyclopedias have gone the way of printed phone books, they and other great homework help are available electronically from your local library. All free to use with a library card from your home, school, office or the library.
We subscribe to more than 50 premium online reference and homework resources including the World Book, BrainFuse, Great Courses, Peterson’s Test Prep, Science Online, Universal Class, JSTOR, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
For our youngest learners, check out Just for Kids, with educational videos including Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Reading Rainbow, the Berenstain Bears, Franklin, plus songs, games and story times that are sure to entertain, educate, and inspire young children.
Most of you reading this already have a card. But does your best friend? Neighbor? Boss? Take up the charge and sing the library’s praises to those who aren’t in the know.
More homework.
Make sure every student you know goes back to school with a library card. It’ll set them up for a successful academic year.
When we broke up my parent’s household, no one wanted the iconic encyclopedia. Instead, we chose from yearbooks that my mother had religiously bought to keep the set up to date. The green and white book sits on my shelf now, a reminder of loving parents determined to see that their kids had what they needed to succeed in school.
Make sure you do the same for yours.
Maria Del Rosso
Director, Fauquier Public Library
Comments