Resources for Parents and Educators

​Salem Public Library Youth Services strives to provide a literacy-rich environment that will help your children learn, grow, and thrive. We are here to help you with book recommendations, research questions, or general information needs. E-mail us at [email protected]  or leave a voicemail at 503-588-6315, and someone will return your call. We look forward to helping you.

Book Match

Let us know about your subject needs or reading interests, and receive customized book suggestions from an SPL librarian. Tell us what you are looking for, and we will create a personalized list based on your preferences.

Homework Help Resources from SPL

This is a great place for students to start their research, providing access to a variety of research tools on History, Social Studies, and Current Events. These resources are available with your Salem Public library card.

Gale OneFile: Educator's Reference Complete

Offers full text articles in the field of education.

LearningExpress Library

Includes practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, eBooks, citizenship studies, etc.)

NovelistPlus K - 8

Designed to help find great fiction and nonfiction titles for children and teens.

Teacher Request Form

Youth and Teen Services staff are available to support teachers. Let us know If you would like to schedule a staff member to provide a storytime, presentation on how to use library services and resources, booktalks, and more. Fill out this brief form, and a librarian will contact you.

Totes and Explorer Kits

Salem Library offers themed backpacks for toddlers and preschoolers in English and Spanish. Each tote includes several books on a theme and a music CD. Totes check out for 1 week, are non-holdable, and are available in the Children's Corner on floor 2.

STEAM-related Explorer kits are designed to encourage elementary-aged children and their families to explore the natural world, parks, and a variety of personal interests.  Each backpack contains several books and field guides, and hands-on activities to assist in their exploration and encourage closer investigation.  Themes include birds, bugs, rocks and minerals, knitting, nature signs, water ecology, and more. Explorer kits check out for 3 weeks, are non-holdable, and are available in the Children's Corner on floor 2.

Downloadables and Streaming for Kids

• Kanopy for Kids (unlimited streaming movies for kids)
• Library2Go Kids eBooks and eAudiobooks
• CloudLibrary eBooks and eAudiobooks
• National Geographic for Kids (Videos, Books, & Magazines)
• TumbleBooks - Animated Picture Books and read alongs
• TumbleBiblioteca (en español)
  
  
  

​Arts and Culture Tours Online

Visit museums around the world, famous places, and works of art using Google's virtual arts and culture tours.

DuoLingo

Learn a new language for free

Hour of Code for Kids

One hour tutorials of code - aimed at grades K-12.

Khan Academy

Nonprofit online learning tool with the mission to provide a free, high quality education for anyone, anywhere.

KidLit TV
Designed by parents, educators, librarians, creators, and award-winning filmmakers to create fun new ways to reinforce children's lifelong love of reading and learning.

Oregon School Library Information System

OSLIS is a K-12 web portal that provides access to quality licensed databases and research lessons for Oregon students and educators.

Salem-Keizer Supplemental Learning Resources

Supplemental resources for at-home learning from Salem-Keizer School District

Starfall

Free public service developed to teach children in preschool through second grade to read with phonics.

Print Resources on Homeschooling can be found in Dewey 371.042 of the non-fiction collections.

Common Core State Standards Initiative

Provides details about the Common Core curriculum standards adopted by the state of Oregon, which focuses on developing critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.

Home Schooling Guidelines from the Oregon Department of Education

Register your child for home schooling and find free Federal and State homeschooling resources.

Oregon Home Education Network

Designed to offer support for homeschooling families in Oregon with resources, suggestions, and encouragement.

School-Home Links Reading Kit

The Reading Kit, a joint project of the U.S. Department of Education and the Los Angeles Times, provides reading and literacy activities for Kindergarten through Third Grade.

Willamette Homeschooling Education District

Serves Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Homeschooling districts.

Downloadable Homeschooling Titles from Library2Go

(Requires a Salem Library Card)

• The Homeschooling Book of Answers by Linda Dobson
• The Homeschooling Handbook: From Preschool to Highschool, a Parent's Guide  by Mary Griffith
• Homeschooling for Success by Rebecca Kochenderfer
• The Unschooling Handbook by Mary Griffith
• Homeschool Your Child for Free by Lauramaery Gold
• Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners by Cindy West
• What Your First Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch
• How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough
• Portland Family Adventures by Jen Stevenson

The Salem Public Library Youth Services staff is committed to providing young children and their caregivers with early literacy resources and experience in order to foster the early literacy skills that are essential in the years before kindergarten. This includes partnerships with national, state, and local organizations dedicated to early learning development. 

For early literacy tips, information, songs, fingerplays, book recommendations, and more for ages 0 – 6 from Salem Public Library staff, visit our Early Literacy blog.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Salem Public Library, in cooperation with the 1000 Books Foundation, invites you to participate in this free program which encourages you to read 1,000 books with your children before they start kindergarten.

Center for Early Literacy Learning

Provides early literacy practice guides for parents to assist them in providing their infants, toddlers, or preschoolers with fun and exciting literacy learning experiences.

Early learning and kindergarten guidelines resources 

Created by the Oregon Department of Education has created developmental guidelines that provide a continuum of development and learning in five domains: approaches to learning, social-emotional development, language and communication, literacy, and mathematics.

Get ready to read 

Designed to support educators, parents, and young children in the development of early literacy skills in the years before kindergarten.

International Children's Digital Library

Digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world in a variety of languages. This is a family-friendly site, which hosts lots of old or rare titles that cannot be found anywhere else.

Marion and Polk Early Learning Hub

Helping families and children in Marion and Polk Counties receive the early learning support they need to thrive, including programs, parenting classes, early learning tips, and much more.

Reading Rockets 

Provides great resources for helping your child become a stronger reader.

Starfall 

Starfall is free public service developed to teach children in preschool through second grade to read with phonics.

Vroom Brain Building

Includes tips and activities for building your child's brain in those most crucial 5 years of life. You can also download the free Daily Vroom app to help spark brain building moments.

Zero to Three 

Here you will find some great research-based tips on early childhood development, early learning, and parenting.