The mission of the Schenectady County Public Library is to satisfy our community's educational, informational, cultural and recreational needs by providing free and open access to a comprehensive range of materials, services and programs.

Parent & Teacher Resources

Check it out!

  • The Children's Room of the Central Library maintains a Parent Resource Center and a Teacher Resource Center chock full of materials on child development, curriculum support, test prep and more.
  • Listed below are circulating multi-media kits for families and classrooms on topics ranging from potty training to conflict resolution.
  • Teachers are invited to bring their classrooms to the library for a field trip. Librarians may also be available for outreach visits to schools, day care centers and other community agencies. Call the Children's Room at the Central Library or your local branch to make arrangements.
  • Use our booklists to help select appropriate reading material for all ages and interests.

If you have any questions, feel free to call the Youth Services Coordinator at 518.388.4513.

Multi-Media Kits

Story Kits
These kits contain all the elements needed for parents or teachers to present a story program to young children.
Family Reading Kits
These kits, prepared by children's librarians at the Schenectady County Public Library, contain all the elements needed for parents or teachers to present a story program to young children.
Families Count Kits
These kits contain curriculum supportive materials related to math concepts.
Families Sing Kits
These kits present materials on a variety of music genres.

Helpful Links for Parents & Educators

Internet & Social Media

Great Websites for Kids
Sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children a division of the American Library Association. Clear, bright icons display subject categories and appear on every page. Eye-catching thumbnail images provide a visual preview of each great site represented.
Digital Citizenship
Designed to help you understand what Social Media is and how to use it safely.
NetSmartz Workshop
Information on keeping kids safe on the Internet

Reading & Literacy

DaybyDay NY Family Literacy Calendar
A virtual calendar with content that changes every day. This unique setup gives families with young children numerous daily activities and a story to read together.
New York Public Library: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Suggestions of 100 children's books that are great for family read-a-longs.
Story Blocks
An online video collection of songs and rhymes for young children in both English and Spanish.
Grow Up Reading
Age appropriate reading support

Parenting & Education

Capital District Parent Pages
Parenting news and resources in the Capital District.
NAEYC for Families
Sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, this site contains information on parenting, education, reading & writing, finding child care and more.
Choose Kind
An anti-bullying campaign inspired by R.J. Palacio's debut novel, Wonder. Click here for a list of books available at SCPL.
Kids Against Bullying
Helps kids identify and respond to bullying using games, videos, contests and more.
Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council
A clearinghouse for parents, employers and child care providers.
Teachers First
A web resource for teachers, by teachers.
New York State Association for Infant Mental Health
NYS-AIMH is a statewide organization created to support multidisciplinary professionals whose work enhances the relational, emotional and cognitive development of 0-5 year olds in their family context.

General

Kids Out and About
Albany's online resource for kids and families. Sign up for the free newsletter!
Great Websites for Parents, Caregivers, Teachers & Others
Sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children,a division of the American Library Association.
Scholastic Watch & Learn Video Library
Created by the editors of Scholastic News, the Watch & Learn Library provides young learners with an online bank of 230+ developmentally-appropriate nonfiction videos aligning to science, social studies, and social-emotional curricula. Geared towards children ages 4-8.
Macaroni Kids in Schenectady
Multi-media Kits, helpful links, and other resources for parents and educators.
Literacy starts at birth. Here are some resources to help make your child a life-long reader.
Are you looking for something to read? Do you want to play some games? Do you need help with your homework? Then this is the place to go!
We have fun and educational classes for kids from birth on up. From fingerplays, stories, and rhymes to science, art and cooking fun, we have something for every child.