Getting Ready for School

While your child is choosing which color notebook to use for which class, remember that the most valuable tool for school is a Central Mississippi Regional Library System (CMRLS) LIBRARY CARD. “The library card is FREE to anyone living, working, or attending school in Rankin, Scott, Simpson, or Smith counties,” said Kaileen Thieling, Director of CMRLS. Not only will the library card give your child access to more than 350,000 books, newspapers, and magazines to be checked out or used in the library; your child will have FREE online access to even more up-to-date books, newspapers, and magazines for those inevitable school projects. These may be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the library website, http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us/.

Think of needing an encyclopedia or magazine article late one evening when the library is not open! The article will be right at your fingertips from any online computer. “Most teachers do not accept sources such as Wikipedia™ or Yahoo Answers™ for school projects not because they are found on the Internet, but because the sources of the answers are not verified,” said Director Thieling. “The libraries’ online sources are reputable, peer reviewed journal articles, books, encyclopedias, maps, and videos in all the subjects needed by your elementary, middle or high school student.”

This year, CMRLS has added Internet Math™ to the homework help resources found online. Internet Math™ teaches and reviews math word problems for students in grades 1-8. Each problem is accompanied by a series of visual hints that teach the student how to solve the problem. Library staff will set up a FREE account for any student wanting to use this resource. Lessons are saved by using the student’s password, allowing students to return to the lessons as often as needed.

Students with library cards may also practice the 4th and 8th grade proficiency exams and study lessons on math, language, or computer skills on Learn A Test™, another online library resource. “Library staff will be glad to help students access any of these resources,” said the Director. “The libraries want to help make this a successful school year.”

Central Mississippi Regional Library System serves the public libraries in Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith counties. Further information may be found online at http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us/ or by visiting your local library.