School Library Partnership Newsletter: Connecting Schools and Public Libraries

The public library is one of the most powerful free resources available to school families, and it is consistently underused by the families who need it most. A school-library partnership, communicated clearly through the school newsletter, puts the library in front of families who trust the school but have not yet connected with the library as an institution for their family.

Make the Library Card the First Goal

Every other library benefit, the collections, the programs, the digital resources, the homework help, is inaccessible without a library card. A newsletter that focuses first on getting every family a library card is more impactful than one that promotes library programs to families who cannot access them.

A library card enrollment event at the school, where a librarian comes to the pickup line or the family event and signs families up on the spot, removes the activation cost that prevents families from going to the library to enroll. Make the enrollment event the lead item in the partnership newsletter.

Connect Library Resources to What Students Are Currently Studying

A newsletter that describes library resources in the abstract is less effective than one that connects those resources to what students are doing in class right now. "Your child's class is studying the American Revolution. The public library has 14 books on that subject available for checkout, plus three audiobook versions for students who prefer listening. You can place holds online with your library card."

That connection transforms the library from a general resource into a specific tool for this week's learning. It also gives families something concrete to do rather than a general nudge to use the library more.

Highlight Digital Access for Families Who Cannot Visit in Person

Many public libraries provide access to digital books, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming services through a library card, all usable from home. Families who know about these resources and have a library card can access them without transportation.

"With a free library card, your child can access thousands of digital books and audiobooks from home through the Libby app. There is no cost and no late fees on digital loans." That is a meaningful benefit for families who face transportation or scheduling barriers to library visits.

Promote Summer Reading Early

Summer reading loss, the academic regression that happens during the unstructured summer months, is significantly mitigated by sustained reading over the summer. Public libraries run summer reading programs specifically to address this. A school newsletter that promotes the public library's summer program in May and June, when families are still making summer plans, achieves something the library's own outreach rarely manages: advance enrollment by families who might otherwise discover the program too late.

Report Joint Program Results to Both Communities

When a school-library partnership produces results, both the school community and the library community benefit from knowing about them. A newsletter note that says "This year, 312 students from our school enrolled in the summer reading program at Oak Street Library, up from 89 last year" celebrates a shared achievement and builds the case for continuing the partnership in future years.