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If you homeschool your children, check out all that the Juniata County Library has to offer.
Request library books online: Our card catalog is available on our website. With a library card, you can request books and the library staff goes and pulls them from the shelf for you to pick up. Even when the library building is closed, the library is still available to you.
Print and digital books for the classroom: Our library has tens of thousands of books, including many that are perfect for classroom use. In 2022 we purchased a fresh set of books about all 50 states in America as well as parks, landmarks and territories. We also carry books about world countries, encyclopedias, novels and more. Along with these and other books available in print, we have many books available digitally. These books can be downloaded and viewed at home.
Digital books: On our website, www.juniatalibrary.org, under Programs and Services, select either Digital Library (eBook and eAudio) or Digital Resources to access free digital books. With a free library card you can access both. The Digital Library gives you access to Libby, which is an app that you can use on tablets and smartphones to read and listen to books. You can also access those books on a computer. The Digital Resources includes a wealth of databases that can be used for classwork. The authoritative content in them can be narrowed down to age group and is regularly updated.
Homeschool Hangout program: We have a Homeschool Hangout program on the first Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. until May (then we resume in the fall.) So far, we have had Representative Perry Stambaugh visit us and talk about how state government works, the Central PA Observers Club share about astronomy and the upcoming eclipse and a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) mystery bag challenge where participants complete a challenge using a bag of random materials (perfect for fostering creative thinking and problem solving.)
Even more children's programs: From storytimes to middle and high school clubs and programs, the library offers many educational opportunities to your children. This includes math and STEM clubs, book clubs, preschool storytimes, presentations by the conservation district, Saturday programs for all ages and our summer reading program. You name it, we offer it.
Interlibrary loan: If we don't carry a book you want, we can either look to purchase it or request it from another library. Called interlibrary loan, or ILL, this service allows us to request materials from other libraries both in Pennsylvania and across the country. The best part: this service is free to you.
Free Discovery Space Museum Pass: The Discovery Space Children's Science Museum has made a pass available for free to families wishing to visit the museum. You can check out the pass for one week and it is good for two adults and the children in that household. For more information about the museum, visit discoveryspace.org. Note: a valid library card is required to borrow the museum pass. The museum pass can be checked out at the front desk.
Notary Services: Do you need a homeschool document notarized? Schedule an appointment with our certified notary Christine. The notary services range from $2 to $5. Visit www.juniatalibrary.org/programs-services/notary to learn more.
Book of the week!
If you are going to read one book, give this one a try...
The Battle of Midway
by Craig L. Symonds
(Adult nonfiction: history, World War 2, Asia, military, naval) ~ 452 pages
In a nutshell: A history of the Pacific war from January to June 1942.
Symonds (History Emeritus/U.S. Naval Academy; The Civil War at Sea, 2009, etc.) writes that America's overwhelming industrial superiority doomed Japan, but adds that this was nowhere in evidence following Pearl Harbor, when its immense fleet with 10 aircraft carriers dwarfed the United States' four. By April, Japan had performed so well that leaders debated what to do next. The winner was charismatic Admiral Yamamoto, whose victory at Pearl Harbor gave him unprecedented authority. He proposed attacking tiny Midway Island, 1,200 miles west of Hawaii, claiming that this would draw American carriers to its defense, and their destruction would force a negotiated peace. Yamamoto's superiors opposed the plan but caved in. Thanks to American code breakers, U.S. forces knew Japanese intentions -- useful information, although not as vital as some historians claim. Approaching Midway, each fleet searched for and located the other almost simultaneously. In the subsequent action, both sides experienced the confusion and blind chance that invariably accompanies battles. During the battle, the U.S. sank four Japanese carriers.
Bottom line: A wholly satisfying history of America's most satisfying naval victory, won in June 1942.
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Vince Giordano has been the librarian and director of the Juniata County Library since 2015.