Homeschoolers and Public Libraries: A Synergistic Relationship

In 2010, a study done by the national Home Education Research Institute reported that an estimated 2.04 million American children were schooled at home, with a projected growth rate of two to eight percent each year (Ray 2011). The 2012 statistics indicate 49.8 million children are enrolled in American public schools; therefore, potentially more than four percent of children are homeschooled. These families inherently understand the fundamental role a public library plays within their community. As a former home educator myself, and director of the Old Town Public Library, I have experienced first-hand how libraries and homeschoolers work together in a creative, productive, highly innovative, and mutually beneficial manner. (Click here for the entire article.)