Thursday, August 13, 2020

With fall quickly approaching, school is set to begin soon both in person and online for children across the Fond du Lac area.

For teachers, parents and others preparing to educate these young minds, the Fond du Lac Public Library’s Children’s Department can be an important resource, and is ready to lend their expertise in selecting the best items to support educators’ efforts.

From educational resource guides to DVDs to books, the Children’s Department has plenty of materials to support educators, whether they are classroom professionals, homeschool parents or others.

For individuals who hold a teacher card with the Fond du Lac Public Library (this can include teachers, homeschooling parents or childcare providers), the Youth Services staff will prepare a subject collection with five working days' notice. 

Requests for teacher collections can be submitted online. For more information and guidelines about making such requests, visit https://fdlpl.org/resources-teachers and click on “Teacher collections.” To obtain a teacher card, a teacher, homeschooling parent or childcare provider must provide proof of being a teacher (ID badge) or a homeschool parent. This card will expire every two years, after which individuals will be required to show proof of educator status again.

Individuals who do not possess a teacher card still may request similar help with a “Personalized Reading Request.” Library staff can recommend books for families that can be placed on hold, or families may be emailed a list of suggestions. To ask for a personalized reading request, click here. 

Parents and teachers alike also may turn to the Cindy Casetta Barden Teachers' Resource Center, which is open to everyone (not just teachers).

Located inside the Children's Room, the resource center includes a growing collection of materials for teachers, homeschoolers and parents with materials to check out, such as books, book club kits, musical instrument kits, classroom kits, and big books for storytelling, as well as equipment to use on site.  

The center was made possible through an endowment fund with Fond du Lac Area Foundation, which was set up in Barden's name by her family.