You have a personal librarian!
Each Champaign school has a Children’s Services librarian as their school liaison. We can help you save time and enliven your curriculum in the classroom by:
- Pulling materials you need for you to pick up, a service for Champaign and Urbana library cardholders
- Putting books on school reserve so all of your students can use them
- Pointing your students (and you) to great resources for popular homework topics, (especially anything about Champaign and Illinois) and books to supplement your curriculum
- Visiting your classroom with lively storytelling and booktalks
- Presenting poetry, books, and stories that teach your students about other cultures
- Speaking at your school functions or parent-teacher group meetings
Note: If you teach in a Champaign school, but live outside Champaign-Urbana, ask your principal if you can have your name added to your school's library card.
Illinois book awards
We’ve got some of the best info online about the Monarch Award, chosen by grades K to 3, the Bluestem Award, selected by grades 3 to 5, and the Rebecca Caudill Award, chosen by grades 4 to 8.
Field Trips
(http://champaign.org/teachers/elementary/field_trips)A field trip to the Champaign Public Library offers convenience and flexibility for teachers — and great experiences for students.
Worksheets
(http://champaign.org/teachers/elementary/worksheets)Online worksheets are an easy way to give a student extra practice or build confidence at home.
Praise for Our Teacher Request Service
“I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to the wonderful librarians in the children’s area. I am a very busy student teacher…planning a unit on China. I filled out a teacher request form, asking for a variety of 20 books on China, not knowing what to expect. When I picked up my basket, I was so pleased to see so many quality books (picture books, nonfiction, poetry, cook books, etc.!) that I know my students will enjoy and learn from! Everybody was so kind and helpful, and saved me hours of sifting through books and online databases.” – Elizabeth H.
Tumblebooks
Tumblebooks are animated, talking books to use online anytime. They're free, and there's no special software to download. Learn more about how they work.