Tag A+ Partnership

A light blue background is patterned with looseleaf pages. A child in a bright yellow slicker and rainboots holds a red backpack, while her teacher kneels crouches in front of her with a clipboard and a pencil in her hair.

Celebrate American Education Week

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A light blue background is patterned with looseleaf pages. A child in a bright yellow slicker and rainboots holds a red backpack, while her teacher kneels crouches in front of her with a clipboard and a pencil in her hair.

by Jean B.

A thousand hours. That’s roughly how much time children spend in school each year. But how many people, from the bus drivers, to the teachers and staff, to the cafeteria workers, and the crossing guards, touch their lives and make education possible throughout those 1,000+ hours? American Education Week, November 13-17, celebrates our nation’s commitment to free, public education for every child and recognizes the myriad individuals who bring that commitment to life with their skill, dedication, and kindness.

It takes a unified effort involving educators, students, families, and communities to deliver on the promise of high quality education. Join in!

American Education Week often includes opportunities to visit your students’ classrooms, one step in becoming engaged. Check with your neighborhood schools to find out what they have planned in 2023. The library offers another pathway of connection to public education. We’re a link in the education community, connecting students, parents, and teachers with resources they need to succeed, especially through the A+ Partnership.

Did you know that teachers can receive special borrowing privileges with an Educator card? And that every HCPSS student has a virtual HCLS account to access our books, databases, online research tools, and resources from home, 24/7? Did you know that in the hours your child’s teacher is not available for help, you can access Brainfuse live online tutors through the HCLS website for support in math, English, science, writing, and more.

Even if you don’t go through the door of a school this year during American Education Week, you can always open a window into that world with a book from the library. Inspiring stories of great learning abound: check out the picture book A Letter to My Teacher by Deborah Hopkinson; middle grade novel Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea, or adult fiction A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, or find many other options at your local branch.

Jean B. is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch who loves reading books for all ages when she isn’t enjoying the outdoors.

Lighted sign with a yellow star and a sweeping directional arrow which reads "Battle of the Books."

National Library Week: Battle of the Books

Kristen B. 2 Comments
Lighted sign with a yellow star and a sweeping directional arrow which reads "Battle of the Books."
Howard County Library System and the Howard County Public School System are excited to bring you the 2023 Battle of the Books at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

National Library Week is drawing to a close for this year, but there’s still so much to celebrate. Tonight, more than 300 teams of fifth graders compete in Battle of the Books at Merriweather Post Pavilion (rain or shine)!

These are the titles that students have read and become experts about:

Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

The Last Last-Day-Of-Summer by Lamar Giles

The Science of Breakable Things by Tai Keller

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed

Science Comics, Wild Weather: Storms, Meteorology, and Climate by M. K. Reed

Indian Shoes by Cynthia Leitich Smith

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Stargazing by Jen Wang

Battle of the Books is an energetic competition between fifth graders who form teams and then “battle” to win through quizzes based on 12 books. They must know the books, inside and out. Last year, I served as a Battle of the Books judge, and I was overwhelmed by the energy! The kids’ enthusiasm for this event can’t be overstated, and it’s something special to witness. This year, a record number of teams registered, and I know it’s going to be another amazing event.

I am lucky enough to have a mother who passed on her love of reading to me and my sister. The library was a sacred place for me when I was growing up. I would often borrow 10 or more books at a time. Fast forward to today: if you walk into my house right now, you’ll find stacks of books in almost every room. Planting the seeds early in my life led to lifelong curiosity and a thirst for learning. For me, reading is an exploration and an adventure I go on almost every single day. It’s an honor for me to serve on the Friends Board. Join me and support Battle of the Books by becoming a Friend of the Library. You’ll be making a difference that lasts a lifetime.

Wendy Slaughter, Friends & Foundation of HCLS Board Member

If you’d like to join the Friends and support the Library, you can give a donation right now and receive a beautiful basket of flowers as a thank you. Friends supports Battle of the Books by purchasing sets of books for all teams.