Home-schooling relies on public libraries.

Home-schooling relies on public libraries. Helping homeschoolers in the library. By Andrienne Furness.Chicago: American Library Association, 2008. 144 pp. US$35.00 (ALAmembers US$31.50) soft cover ISBN ISBNabbr.International Standard Book NumberISBNInternational Standard Book NumberISBNn abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m13:9780838909553 (available fromInBooks). As home-schooling is becoming part of the mainstream, it isincreasingly important for librarians to acquaint themselves with waysto provide services for these heavy public library users. Research fromthe National Center of Education Statistics shows that 1.1 millionstudents are being home-schooled in the US alone, with 78 per cent ofthe parents relying on public libraries as their main providers ofresources. Furness writes as an experienced head librarian in the Children andFamily Services Department at the Webster Public Library in Webster, NewYork New York, state, United StatesNew York,Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . She was also the administrator of a home-schooling grant from 2005to 2007. The way in which this book is structured enables a librarian or ahome-schooling parent to pick it up and dip into dip intoVerb1. to draw upon: he dipped into his savings2. to read passages at random from (a book or journal)Verb 1. the practicalsuggestions which are most helpful. In the first section Furnessdescribes the different reasons people choose to home school or'unschool'. Resource lists are tailored specifically to anumber of different groups of home-schoolers. There are resourcesrecommended especially for those of particular faiths, those who arecatering to students with special needs and those with a variety ofeducational philosophies. The second part is an invaluable reference forlibrarians or home-schoolers which suggests many websites, magazines,books, catalogues and other print and electronic resources. As well as an overwhelming number of useful websites, Furness alsowrites a blog to keep librarians and home-schoolers up to date ondevelopments in this field. Even the electronic discussion lists andgroups suggested are highly recommended in order that librarians mightnot just provide information, but also assist with supporting those whocan be feeling isolated from others in similar situations. Tips forlibrarians wishing to connect with groups of home-schoolers are alsoincluded as is information on designing programmes, displays andbuilding special collections In library science, special collections (often abbreviated to Spec. Coll. or S.C.) is the name applied to a specific repository within a library which stores materials of a "special" nature. . The author quotes Mary Price Mary Wolfe Price was an American citizen and secretary to journalist Walter Lippmann of the New York Herald. Sometime prior to March of 1941, Mary Price allegedly agreed to furnish Jacob Golos, controller of the secret apparatus of the Communist Party of the USA (CPUSA) on behalf , who remindsus that 'librarians would do well to remember that thehome-schooler they see today could be a public schooler or privateschooler tomorrow ... and the public or private schooler they see todaycould be a home-schooler tomorrow'. Librarians will undoubtedly enjoy the profiles which serve toillustrate ways in which home-schoolers connect with librarians, but thebook is set out in such a user-friendly manner that it can be skimmedquickly and easily for those who require it as a quick reference guideto tips and ideas for assisting home-schoolers. Although the examplesand statistics in this book are primarily American, it would certainlybe of interest to all librarians, especially those working inchildren's services, as the number of students being home-schooledcontinues to climb. Sarah Cooper Spring Farm, NSW NSWNew South WalesNoun 1. NSW - the agency that provides units to conduct unconventional and counter-guerilla warfareNaval Special Warfare