My husband and I both have fond memories of checking out books from our childhood public libraries, especially during the summer, and we couldn’t wait to get our kids their first library cards. Early last year—when our son had recently turned two and our baby daughter was just starting to crawl—we took our first, highly anticipated trip to the library with the kids.
That first visit where we got everyone’s library cards wasn’t too bad, since my husband was with me, enabling us to provide man-to-man coverage of the kiddos. But our next trip to the library with me as the solo parent was a bit stressful.
You might say that our kids were not quite ready for “library-appropriate” behavior. Our son wanted to run around a lot. Our daughter wanted to use the books as teethers. Both kids kept pulling things off of the shelves. And with my son, it wasn’t so much his taking books off the shelves, but his “re-shelving” of the books in the wrong spots that made me (with my Type-A personality) come unglued.
Those initial library visits didn’t quite live up to that lovely image in my head, with us leisurely browsing through the picture books. To the contrary, I found the library-with-two-small-kids experience to be stressful and unpleasant. I concluded that my kids were still too young for the library, and we didn’t go back for a long time.
The Game Changer: Online Book Hold Requests
A few months ago on a Saturday afternoon, I finally returned to our local Lakewood Branch of the Dallas Public Library by myself. I wanted to renew our library cards (which must be done in person each year), and I wanted to check out some books for a children’s book-review project I was working on for my blog.
While I was there, one of the staff members explained to me the process for Hold Requests. You request the books you want online, and library staff will locate and pull the books (the first available copy, which could be at any branch location), send them to your local branch, and place the items on hold for you. The library will send you emails as your books become available, and you simply go in and pick them up. This service is free. And it could not be easier.
If I had realized just how fantastic and easy the online request process is, I would have started doing it a long time ago!
Now when we go to the library, it’s the same two-step process each time. First, we go to the book return and drop in whatever books we’re returning. (I thought my kids might resist returning the library books they enjoyed, but their excitement about using the book return outweighs any reluctance to part with the books.) Second, we walk directly to the “Hold Section” (our kids know exactly where it is), find the books under our name, and take them to the front counter to check out.
That’s it. Completely stress-free.
Don’t get me wrong … I look forward to the day when our kids will be ready to browse and choose their own library books. But for now, I like that they are still becoming familiar with the library and the concept of borrowing books—and the concept of taking extra special care of library books, which don’t belong to us. And I appreciate that we are getting to read so many more books in addition to the ones that we own.
More Details
Library cards are free for Dallas residents and City of Dallas employees.
You have to get your library card in person at one of the library branches. (For a list of branch locations with hours, click here.) You will need a current government-issued photo ID and proof of Dallas residency (such as a current driver’s license, lease agreement, or utility bill). You can also get a library card for your child of any age.
After you get your library card, you can use the card number to create an account online. Then you can search for the books you want and place your hold requests. You can have up to 50 book requests on your account at one time. It usually takes a few days to receive an email that your books are ready—or longer if someone else is waiting for one of the same books.
Here’s an online searching tip: I like to use the “Advanced” search option, with the Title and Author fields. To get there from the library’s home page, click on the “Catalog” option and then on the word “Advanced” under the menu bar.
Books can be checked out for 21 days, and they can be renewed online. When you’re finished with the books, you can return them to any Dallas Public Library location, which all have night drops for after-hours returns.
Want Ideas for Children’s Books to Request?
I know some preschools have recommended reading lists, which is a great place to start. Here are some other sources that I like for book recommendations:
- Caldecott Award Winners. This is the American Library Association’s annual award for “the most distinguished American picture book for children.” A list of the Caldecott Medal books (and the “runner-up” Honor Books) is available online here. (These are the books I have been checking out to review for my blog.)
- Dallas Public Library Website. The library’s website lets you browse new arrivals, as well as search for recommended children’s books by topic.
- Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac. This website is one of my favorites for children’s book reviews, written by children’s book expert Anita Silvey.
- Pragmatic Mom. This is another website with reading lists and book reviews that was recently recommended to me.
- “The Kindergarten Canon.” Michael J. Petrilli from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute published this fabulous list of “The 100 Best Children’s Books” in 2012. (I’m planning to work my way through the books on this list that we haven’t already read after we’re finished with the Caldecott books.)
- Facebook Friends. I’ve asked for and received great book recommendations from other parent friends on Facebook.
Finally, my 3-year-old always wants me to request the books he sees pictured on the backs of books he already has. Tootle, anyone?
For some other online library tools that can make your life easier, see Becky’s post from April on “Secrets for Getting the Most out of the Public Library.”
And to learn about some hidden gems on the Dallas Public Library’s website, see Casey’s post from 2011 “How To Make the Most of the Dallas Public Library’s Website.”
