Youth, Teens & Family
The Desert Foothills Library is committed to the youth of our community.
KIDS
Storytime @ Desert Foothills Library
Support your children’s early literacy-skill building by bringing them to one of the Desert Foothills Library’s weekly storytimes. Storytimes feature books, rhymes, songs, fingerplays, movement, and/or crafts.
Next time you visit the Library, sign your child up for a library card and help to foster his or her lifelong love for learning! There is no minimum age requirement for children, accompanied by a parent or guardian, to register for a library card.
Storytime Schedule
(Siblings welcome!)
Story Kids (preschoolers ages 3-6)
Tuesday: 9:45 – 10:15 am
Family Lapsit (ages 10 months – 3 years)
Thursday: 10-10:25 am
Parents, please note that we reserve the right to change or remove storytimes as needed. We ask you to look closely at the calendar to ensure that the storytime you wish to attend will still be held on the date you want.
Click below for …
Coming Soon … (I can hardly wait!!)
TEENS / CLUB 11/17
Volunteer
We always welcome teen volunteers at Desert Foothills Library. Need community service hours or just love the library? Fill out our Volunteer Application to get involved.
- Regular volunteers. Many of our teen volunteers work regular 2 hour shifts throughout the week. Volunteers participate in many tasks, from sorting and shelving to decorating and creating displays to helping with events
- One time volunteers. If you need a set amount of service hours (to fulfill a school or NHS requirement, etc.), we will work with you to schedule as needed, if we have opportunities available.
Teen Task Force
This is YOUR library. Join our Teen Task Force to plan programs, contribute to the library, and cultivate our teen space. You don’t have to be a current volunteer to join!
Teen Task Force meets once a month in the teen room. Meetings are a great time to find out about volunteering if interested, meet your librarians and other teens at the library, eat snacks, tell us what you want at Desert Foothills Library, and generally have a great time.
Check the Events Calendar for upcoming meetings.
PARENTS
Free 2nd & 3rd Grade Tutoring Program
Did you know that the Desert Foothills Library offers a free tutoring service during the school year? This program is designed to help children master basic reading and writing skills.
The goals of our free tutoring program:
- Support literacy beyond the classroom
- Provide students with additional opportunities for active participation, reinforcement, feedback and help boost the child’s self-confidence in their own reading abilities
- Increase the motivation to read and write while providing access to reading materials
Our volunteers dedicate their personal time to help children who need help with reading and writing. This program may be of special interest to families who may not be able to afford to pay a tutor, or whose children need more educational support than can be provided during the school day. Please rest assured that our volunteers are mainly retired elementary teachers, and all of them must successfully complete AZ State fingerprint clearance.
The tutoring sessions will take place in the library at a mutually convenient time during our regular hours.
Enrollment for the tutoring program is ongoing, so if at any point during the year you think our program might benefit your child, please keep us in mind. We will offer two Tutor-Student matchup events each year, so check the calendar for the next event.
Helpful Links:
Connect Safely Educator Guides
Guides for educators to using the internet and technology safely and responsibility
NASA has resources for educators including recommended apps and websites as well as classroom tools for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
Lesson plans that support instruction from STEM to art to early literacy, grades K-12.
Free Lakeshore Learning Resources
Lakeshore Learning offers crafts and activities, worksheets, and other resources for educators.
TEACHERS
Teachers with an educator’s ID as well as homeschooling parents and caregivers are eligible to open an Educator Library Card.
This card will allow you to check out up to 50 items, place items on hold, and allow fine forgiveness for items used in the classroom or for educational purposes.
Please see a librarian or staff member at the library to open an Educator Library Card.
School Visits
Interested in having a librarian visit your school or classroom? Please EMAIL US or call (480) 488-2286 to schedule a visit with a librarian. We can visit with students for a classroom visit, provide library cards to each student, and either read a story (K-3) or share exciting new books available for checkout (grades 3-4+).
For Your Students
ASSIGNMENT ALERTS: If you have an upcoming assignment, please EMAIL the Youth Librarian with information about the types of materials your students will need for upcoming projects. We will pull relevant materials onto a cart for your class and allow your students to make copies for free, and you can let them know materials for their projects will be available at our library.
Service Opportunities
We provide volunteer and service opportunities for students ages 13 +.
Please visit our Volunteer Page to learn more.
HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES
Desert Foothills Library’s Homeschool Collection includes books, kits, and other materials to support homeschooling families. We also have two Kindles loaded with classic literature available for check out.
Room Rentals:
Desert Foothills Library strives to support the homeschool community in Maricopa County. We will work with homeschool groups to provide space for groups to meet and learn for free or at a discounted rate, as our schedule allows.
Educator Library Card:
Homeschooling parents and caregivers are eligible to open an Educator Library Card. This card will allow you to check out up to 50 items, place items on hold, and allow fine forgiveness for items used for educational purposes.
Please see a librarian or staff member at the library to open an Educator Library Card.