Library offers resources for teachers

The St. Joe County Public Library offers countless resources for teachers, parents and caregivers. Below are examples of the free resources that patrons can access both at the library and at home.

Teachers and students who teach or attend school in our service area qualify for a free guest card, even if they live outside of our service area.

In-Library Resources

Kits and Read Alouds

Playaways
Each singular tablet includes games focused on a specific grade range and subject. Two Playaways can be checked out to each adult library card. Only available at Main Library.

VOX Books
These books have built-in speakers so children can listen as they read. Available at all branches.

Phonics and Language Kits
Muzzy includes CDs on learning various languages; Hooked on Phonics includes kits with DVD video lessons, storybooks and workbooks. Available at all branches.

Printing, Faxing, and Copying

Those who live in the service area and have a library card qualify for up to $5 per day of free printing. Learn more.

Adaptive Technology

All St. Joe County Public Library branches are equipped with large print keyboards, as well as sensory kits that include: multi-sensory manipulatives, sensory headphones, gloves, and communication boards.

Adaptive Technology Kits
The Francis, Centre, German and North Liberty branches are equipped with Adaptive Technology kits which can be used in meeting rooms and at computers. These kits include: large print keyboards, hearing loops, noise reduction headphones and communication boards.

Videophone laptops
Available at Main Library and LaSalle Branch for patrons with hearing loss.

Outreach and Library Visits

Outreach
Want a Librarian to visit your classroom, attend an event, or set up a table at a resource fair? Fill out the Outreach Visits Form and provide at least 3 weeks advance notice.

Library Visits
The St. Joe County Public Library offers tours of the library building for groups interested in learning more about our services. Fill out the Book a Tour Form and please provide at least three weeks advance notice.

Note: Requests for an extra activity (eg: storytime) in addition to a tour are subject to current staff availability and may require additional planning time.

Digital Resources

Databases

Explora
Database for ages K-13 that includes magazines and newspaper articles, as well as primary source documents on a variety of topics.

Inspire
Database searchable by grade level and subject. This resource also includes an index of databases A-Z.

Online Services

Brainfuse
Live online tutoring from expert tutors. Get homework help (K-12 and college), skills building, test preparation, and FAFSA in both English and Spanish. Available 2:00pm – 11:00pm (EST) each day.

Library Apps

Read ebooks, listen to e-audio books, and borrow more digital materials with our library apps Libby, Hoopla, Flipster and Kanopy.

Staff-Curated Book Lists

Browse kids book lists for various grades, genres, and topics curated by SJCPL Youth Services Staff.

Programs and Services

Feeding Kids, Growing Minds
At the Main, LaSalle and Tutt branches children may pick one snack during after-school hours.

Storytime
Storytime is delivered at all library branches weekly. Families will enjoy books, rhymes, and songs which build on practices that prepare children to learn to read. Recommended for ages 3 – 5.

Evening Storytime
On the fourth Thursday of the month at Main Library, children will enjoy books, songs, and play to encourage a love of reading. Recommended for ages 4-7. Families are welcome.

National Resources

Find helpful national resources by perusing this page of our website.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Cosmic Kids Yoga
Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+.

Stories Songs & Stretches
Preschool yoga and mindfulness storytimes.

5 Minute Yoga Routine for Kids: Channel Mum
It’s not always easy getting kids excited about exercise, but this yoga routine will get their imaginations running wild and their bodies moving!

Educational Resources

GoNoodle
Activities, songs, and dances to work your wiggles out for grades K and up. You can sign up for a free educator account.

Imagineering In A Box
Walt Disney Imagineering partners with Khan Academy to bring you a free online program with 32 videos that brings together the diverse talents of Disney Imagineers around the world to share how they use a wide range of skills – from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering, creating immersive experiences.

SchoolTube
A COPPA and ADA compliant video management platform created to meet the needs of K-12 schools, providing a place for schools to publish videos for free in a tightly controlled space. An upgrade to a paid premium subscription allows ad-free viewing.

Bendable: SJCPL’s Online Learning Platform
Bendable is a free learning platform that allows residents of all ages to acquire new knowledge and skills through online courses, in-person events, and other learning resources.

Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls
This website was created by a homeschooling mom, and includes LEGO, STEM, and other learning activities.

Ready Set Kindergarten!
The Brooklyn Public Libraries offer videos for parents of preschoolers in many different languages to help develop reading readiness skills.

Novelist Plus
The St. Joe County Public Library’s Student & Teacher Databases offers NovelList K-8 Plus with fiction and nonfiction reading recommendations for grades K-8 and teens.

Library 24/7

It’s 7:58 p.m. on a Monday and you finally decide to look at the research assignment you were assigned a week ago, when suddenly you realize your works cited page (in MLA format) is due tomorrow. You need to find some sources for your assignment. No worries, you think, you will just visit the library and find a few books, but after checking the hours of the Main Library, you find they close in 2 minutes. At this point you might have started to panic, but do not hit the panic button quite yet.

That's when you notice a magical word, Research, near the top of the SJCPL website. Under that heading, you find a link to databases and articles. Databases are searchable and provide information from published works like journals, magazines and newspapers. The information contained in these resources is from experts and has been checked for accuracy, so you won't have to try to sift through one million websites that a search engine found for you to find a good source of information. Even when our phyical locations are closed, the library website is open 24/7; think of it like Nick’s Patio without the coffee and pancakes. Yum, pancakes. I'm easily distracted by things like pancakes and doughnuts, but I have more to tell you.

Recently, I’ve had a few homeowork related questions and the opportunity to talk to a few groups about some of SJCPL's electronic resources however, I wished I could get the word out to so many others. I thought a blog post was necessary. These resources are accessible just by typing in your library card number and last name from home and they are free! If you are working on a homework assignment, you might be particularly interested in the resources under the Student and Teacher Resource Center. Here are some examples of how you might use some of these resources:

If you are working on a report for Black History Month and need information about the first African-American female pilot, Bessie Coleman, check out Biography In Context. You can search by the name of the person and find information from encyclopedias, journal articles, and newspapers. The resource is updated regularly and contains many notable people including historical figures, scientists, and entertainers. This resource also includes a citation tool with each article, to help you with that works cited page.
Maybe you need to gather information for a classroom debate arguing against recycling; try Opposing Viewpoints in Context. This database offers pro and con viewpoints on many hot social topics. It works a lot like Biography in context, in that it offers citation tools and allows you to e-mail articles to yourself.
Need science experiment about electricity for the upcoming Science Fair? Look no further than Science in Context. This database lets you search for science related topics like electricty, but narrow your search down by experiments and yes it also includes citation tools.
The Gale Virtual Reference Library contains ebooks, encyclopedias, and reference material, those huge, heavy books you can't check out on the 1st floor at Main. You can search a variety of topics or narrow your search to a particular reference book.

Besides the databases there are other things you have access to through the library website. If you need to log some reading time and need a book fast, check out the teen e-book and audiobooks you can download to read on your own device or read in a computer browser. Need music to study to? Try Hoopla and download popular music albums.

Of course if you have questions about any of these resources you are always welcome to visit us in-person and ask a librarian how you can get started using these resources. Until next time, good luck on those assignments.

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