Go Back to School with Your Library Card!

Are you getting ready to go back to school? Grown-ups, here is a list of excellent resources for your kids—from infant to teenager—to help give them the tools for the best school year. Whether your kids are just beginning to read or are about to graduate in 2023, the Library has a plethora of databases and services to help them achieve their academic goals.

All you need is an MCPL card, which you can get at your local MCPL branch or online. You will receive your Access Pass (Library card) number and PIN (your eight-digit date of birth), and then you can jump right in!

Pre-K – If you have a child under the age of six, bring them to storytimes or “play and learn” programs. These interactive events will get your little one clapping, repeating, dancing, and interacting with others. This is one of the easiest ways to engage your little one. Feel free to bring their siblings too!

Still hesitant about the status of the world? No problem! Select branches have Storytime in the Park and StoryWalks, allowing you to get outdoors while still engaging in early literacy activities. Call your local branch to see if these are available. Want to do storytime at home? You can! Find Grow A Reader Storytime to Go kits in the catalog to check out and take home.

For those of you who started Summer Library Program this year with a little one, you may have heard about 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. It helps kids prepare for kindergarten by reading at their own pace and completing 1,000 books before they start school. The children earn certificates with every 100 books they read and a final certificate when they reach 1,000. Plus, they will be entered in a drawing for a special Marty the Martian prize and their own keepsake book.

School-Age Kids and Grades K–6 – There are just as many resources for you! Whether you are into Daniel Tiger, Percy Jackson, My Little Pony, Geronimo Stilton, or any of the new up-and-coming authors, here are some resources just for you! Just for Kids Access Video has full episodes from PBS favorites, as well as educational videos on a variety of topics.

For the voracious reader, check out Novelist K-8 Plus for all your after-school or free reading period times. You can find all of your favorite authors and titles and see similar books you may want. Do you want to hang out with other kids and talk about your favorite books? Join one of our kid, tween, teen, or family book groups! Contact your local branch for dates and titles. Do you want to check out cool history, dinosaurs, animals, international locations, or factual stories about famous people? These databases can help you with projects and even have virtual and hands-on projects:

• ScienceFlix
• TrueFlix
• CultureGrams

Kids, Tweens, and Teens – Do you need help with your homework? Check out Live Homework Help from Tutor.com. This gives you access to prep tests, including the ACT and SAT, allows you to drop off math questions, drop off your papers for review, and meet with a live tutor from 11:00 a.m. to midnight CST. The tutors have the option of livestream or instant messaging and can help you with every subject.

Do you want more graphic novels or books to read on your device? We’ve got more than 200 titles in a digital format on TeenBookCloud.
 

Tweens and Teens – Come and hang out at the Library after class with new friends or bring your own friends to fun events! We’ve got anime, Dungeons and Dragons, art, movies, and more! RSVP through the events webpage.

As always, the Library wants to help you ace all of your subjects and classes. Find more information on how we can help you at mymcpl.org/BackToSchool. And make the 2022-2023 school year a great one!

Andrew E.
Red Bridge Branch