by Emily B.

Did you know that every Howard County Public School System student has their own library account? Well, it’s true! Not sure what your barcode and PIN are? Head to hcpss.me and click on the HC Library button to find your account information. When visiting the library in person, you can also use your name and address to borrow library materials.

Howard County Library System and Howard County Public School System go way back – we’ve been A+ Partners in Education for more than 20 years! HCLS and HCPSS share common goals of furthering students’ academic success and enhancing students’ love of reading and learning. The A+ Partnership ensures that all HCPSS students have access to books and e-books, research tools, live online tutoring, and more. Here are some of our favorite resources for students:

Live tutoring with Brainfuse: From 2 pm to midnight, Brainfuse offers live tutoring assistance to learners of all ages on a variety of subjects. Just log on to Brainfuse with your library barcode and pin, select your grade and the subject you need assistance with, and Brainfuse will connect you with an instructor. Working on a tough writing assignment? Use Brainfuse’s writing lab to get feedback on your work.

Language Learning: Little Pim is the perfect way for young learners to begin their language learning journey with fun video vocabulary lessons. Students ages six and up can use Muzzy Online to learn a new language through interactive games and lessons. Mango is perfect for teens and adults looking for fun, conversational language lessons.

Practice Exams: High schoolers can visit Peterson’s Test Prep and LearningExpress Library to take practice tests for the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and beyond.

Research Tools: Need to do some research for homework or a project? Gale In Context provides reference materials, including primary sources, newspaper articles, and videos, about a wide variety of topics. Gale curates these resources for each school level, offering Gale In Context sites specifically designed for elementary, middle school, and high school research. Each site has a built-in citation generator, making it easier than ever to credit your sources.

If you’re not an HCPSS student, you can access these resources and more online by visiting hclibrary.org. In the “research” section, select the resource you’d like to use, and sign in with your barcode and pin when prompted.

De-stress for Success!
Tue, Sep 10 | 7 – 8 pm
HCLS Glenwood Branch
For ages 11 –17. Register today.
With the start of the new school year, it can be easy to get stressed! From breathing exercises to fidgets, there are many tools out there to help you manage stress. Learn about some of the tools you can add to your de-stressing toolkit.

Tutoring Tuesdays: Math Made Easy
Tuesdays 4 – 5 pm
Sep 3, 10, 17, 24 & Oct 1, 15, 22, 29
HCLS Central Branch
For ages 11 – 18. Drop-in.
Do you struggle with math homework or tests? Do you want to improve your math skills and confidence? If you are a middle or high school student, extra help and dedicated time to work practice problems is available for middle school math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2.

Maximize Your National History Day Research
For ages 11+.
Assigned a National History Day project? Our research experts have tips and tools for you. Meet History Day judges and recent winners, and learn strategies to locate sources. Parents and teachers welcome.
See the HCLS National History Day webpage for a complete list of events.

Emily is an Instructor & Research Specialist at the Central Branch. When she’s not reading, she enjoys puzzling, listening to music, and re-watching old seasons of Survivor.