Educator Library Cards
Teachers and homeschool educators are welcome to apply for a free educator library card. These cards give you an extended check out period and help you keep track of the items you are borrowing for your classroom.
Class Visits
Library staff are happy to come to your classroom or host your class at the library. Below are some of the types of visits we’ve done in the past, but we are always open to something new and special requests! Fill out our Educator Request Form to request a visit.
- Story Time – interactive story time with books, songs, rhymes, and crafts
- Book Talks – our librarians will share books with your class to read for fun or to support school projects/curriculum – we are also willing to read aloud to older grades
- Research Presentation – our librarians will teach your class how to use our internet and library databases for research or help you prepare for National History Day
- Library Resources – our librarians will teach your class how to use our online catalog, how to get library cards, and an introduction to our online resources and apps – we can even hand out library cards on site for students ages 10 and older
- Library Tours – visit the library, go on a tour, participate in an interactive activity, see behind the scenes, and more
Book Lists
- Need books on a certain topic, theme, or genre? Library staff are happy to pull them for you and have a stack ready and waiting for you to pick up. If possible, please allow at least 2 days for gathering items on Book Lists. we ask that limit requests of seasonal titles (e.g. Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.) to no more than 10 books so that we have materials available for other patrons.
- Did you know you can save Book Lists on the online catalog or Librista app? That allows you to save a list from year to year and reserve all of the books on that list with one click!
- The library also maintains lists of books that align with the 16 Habits of Mind, High-Interest Low-Vocabulary books, and Decodable books.
- Book Match – Does your student need a reading suggestion? Have them fill out a Book Match form and a librarian will give them a personalized list of book recommendations.
Digital Resources
The library freely offers a wide-variety of digital resources. Students need a Sioux Center Public Library card to access them from home. We can also provide you with access in your classroom.
- Brainfuse HelpNow – offers a personalized homework help in core subjects (math, reading, writing, science, social studies, and Spanish). It also includes ACT preparation. Students communicate with live, online tutors using an interactive, virtual whiteboard to chat, write, draw, copy/paste text or images and graph homework problems. HelpNow also offers skills building and test preparation where after taking a quiz, the user can then connect directly to a live tutor to review the topics and questions covered in the quiz. Spanish speaking tutors are also available.
- TumbleBooks – TumbleBooks Library is a collection of animated, talking picture books, read-alongs, Tumble TV, puzzles and games for children. For older readers, read-alongs, graphic novels, videos, and audiobooks are included. This resources targets preschoolers to 6th graders.
- TumbleMath – TumbleMath is a collection of animated talking picture books on math topics. The books are all accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans, instructional videos, educational games, plus quizzes on the math topics covered. TumbleMath is your one stop destination for engaging and entertaining math stories. Teacher resources are available.
- eBooks & eAudiobooks – Looking for audiobooks for your auditory learners or struggling readers? Browse our large collection. If you need a certain title, please email us!
- LinkedIn Learning – For high schoolers (and teachers!): Access free self-paced video courses covering hundreds of subjects including marketing, management, design, video, photography, web development, programming, and software instruction. These online learning modules are available on demand.
- Transparent Language – Transparent Language Online provides a fun, effective, and engaging experience for learners of all levels looking to build their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a foreign language. Combining extensive courses and supplemental resources, Transparent Language Online is the most complete language-learning system. With over 100 languages to choose from, including English for speakers of over 26 languages, there is something for every learner. English for Spanish Speakers and English for Ukrainian Speakers are included. Teachers may explore the Spanish for Professionals course or the School vocabulary unit.
Noteworthy Collection Items
- Large Print Books for Youth – borrow from our collection of over 400 juvenile and young adults books in Large Print
- Book sets – multiple copies of books that you can check out for reading groups – such as Magic Tree House, Amelia Bedlia, the Story of Ferdinand, Gary Schmidt, Laurie Halse Anderson, The Secret Garden, 3D space books, Wonder, and more
- ESL materials – 5 copy sets of ESL readers like What’s Next?, That’s Life!, and Oxford Picture Dictionary Readers
- Story Kits and STEM backbacks – available for checkout
- Puppets – we have over 100 puppets that you can check out for use in your classroom
- AccuCut – bring your own paper and use any of our 200 AccuCut dies on our AccuCut machine (or check out the dies and use at school)
- TonieBox & figures – borrow one of our TonieBoxes or figures for listening fun in your classroom
- VOX Books – VOX books have a built-in speaker (and head phone jack) so that students can listen to the book as they read it
- AR Books – our catalog is searchable by AR or Lexile level and we have written the levels and points on the inside sticker of the books. We also maintain “AR Quick Picks” bins for families to quickly find books at their reading level.
- Immersive Reality Books – explore topics in a new way with the experiences included in our immersive reality books
Displays
Contact Heidi to arrange to display your students’ artwork or projects in our hallway or elsewhere in the library.
