Lee-Bardwell Library to help with homeschoolers

Local learners will soon find a touch of home-school soon at Lee-Bardwell Public Library.
Earlier this month, Library Director Brandy Wynn put out a call on social media asking for suggestions about what homeschool materials would be ideal to include on the library shelves. She hopes the effort will improve the facility’s ability to serve all students in the community, similar to the effort she puts in to provide relevant resources for public schoolers.
“We want to help you out,” Wynn posted in her outreach to homeschool parents. “Whether you need a place to meet to teach your children, want them to learn how to use the library (or) need to just get out of the regular routine, we want to make sure that you have the tools needed to be successful.
“We also know that home school curriculum can be expensive. Please let us know what you are using/wish you could use, and we will do our best to take up some of the slack for you.”
The response, Wynn said Friday, was more than she expected, not anticipating how many homeschool families live in the community.
“We have a lot, more than I ever realized until I saw the response on Facebook and I had people emailing me with recommendations for some of the homeschool things that they like and want to use.”
A cousin homeschools six of Wynn’s nieces and nephews, so she has a general idea of how expensive the effort can be for individual families. They often partner with other families and organizations for resource-sharing.
“If I can have some of that here for them, make them understand they’re welcome here, I think it will go a long way to help them and help the community.”
Wynn recognizes some people disagree with homeschooling on principle. She supports those individuals’ choice to educate their kids in public school and tailors her Summer Reading Program book list to include options provided by local public school campuses.
Meanwhile, she also wants to support families who choose to homeschool their children and wants to collaborate in the same way she does with Gladewater ISD.
“A lot of our families from Gladewater go to the homeschool groups in Longview,” she added. Ideally, in the future they’ll be able to find some of the materials they need here. “I should be ordering those books next month. I’ve got a list going. I’m trying to get some young adult fiction as well, but I may put that on hold until August and just go with homeschool materials this time around.”