Planning Your Visit

Please call the branch directly to set up an appointment for your group to visit. Visits could include a tour of the Children’s area, time to browse for and borrow books, time to do research, a read-aloud, and a craft project.

Planning Your Visit: EDUCATORS and groups

Appointments:

Please call the branch directly to set up an appointment for your group to visit. Visits could include a tour of the Children’s area, time to browse for and borrow books, time to do research, a read-aloud, and a craft project.

Library Cards:

To register the kids in your group for library cards, obtain a “student/group library card” application from the branch you plan to visit (Ask the librarian you arrange your visit with to help you with this.) Copy as many applications as you need and distribute them to the children in your care. The parent or guardian must fill the form out neatly and completely and return it to you. The teacher or counselor should review the applications before returning them the library. Library cards are then processed and mailed directly to the child’s home. This can take up to three weeks, so please plan accordingly!

Before you arrive:

Decide what your children will be allowed to do during your visit. Review the number of computers at the branch you will visit. Are you going to let your kids use the computers if they are available? If you are not, talk to them about your expectations ahead of time. If you are, please plan a strategy for turn-taking!

  • Checking out books? How many are they going to be allowed to take when they are with you? Are you going to let them check out DVDs or puppets, or just books? Any books? Or just books that meet the goals of your class?
  • Are they allowed to do puzzles or draw when they are done choosing books? Or do you expect them to be reading while they wait for other students to finish?
  • Do they need to bring a bag to carry their items?

Behavior:

Although libraries are no longer silent places, students are expected to speak quietly and to walk from place to place so as not to disturb other patrons.

It is expected that the teachers or counselors will break their children into small groups, each under the constant supervision of an adult. Chaperones are expected to participate in the activity their group is engaged in.

Recommended Reads

Age appropriate books recommended from the Children’s Librarians for infants, toddlers and children up to tweens.

Recommended titles:

Click to view and download reading lists.

Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Levels used by Springfield Public Schools are listed after titles for independent readers.

Infants and Toddlers

Preschool

Kindergarten

New Readers

1st Grade

2nd Grade

Emerging Readers

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th Grade

Tweens