The Aurora Public Library District is sharpening pencils, dusting off backpacks, and gearing up for back-to school! Whether you’re a parent looking to keep your child’s learning momentum going, or an educator planning lessons for eager young minds, APLD has a wealth of resources ready to make this school year the best one yet.
There’s no better way to start a learning journey than with a good story. Our weekly storytimes are the bread and butter of children’s programming. “Storytimes are a free, high-impact way to nurture early literacy, support caregiver confidence, and prepare children for success in school,” said early literacy specialist, Gretchen. More than just songs and stories, these gatherings help kids develop school-readiness skills like listening, vocabulary, and rhyme awareness—all while strengthening caregiver-child bonds. Families can go one step further and join our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (ages 0 – 5) and 100 Books Before High School (grades 4 – 8) programs that turn reading into an adventure! “These programs have a motivating framework to celebrate progress along the way,” adds Gretchen. Our 100 Books Before High School program only started in May of this year, and we already have 19 program completions! That shows great engagement and commitment by Aurora’s young readers.
Beyond books, we also offer two key databases to support a child’s learning development. Scholastic Teachables is home to more than 30,000 printable resources for preschool through 8th grade. Vocabulary sheets, mini books, science lessons, and brain games—you name it, Teachables has it. “Everything on the website is free and accessible with an APLD library card,” explained senior children’s manager, Monica. “It’s one of my favorite websites to introduce to caregivers.” For real-time support, another database, Brainfuse HelpNow, offers live tutoring from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.. “The live tutoring feature is so helpful when you have a pesky math problem!” Monica adds. It also provides expert writing assistance, test prep, and even FAFSA help for teens. These databases are helpful for parents looking to supplement their child’s learning at home and for educators looking to bring new ideas and lessons to the classroom.
Speaking of bringing things to the classroom, we can deliver APLD materials right to you! Through our Teacher Loan service, educators can check out bulk materials for extended loan periods on a particular topic. We can also bring storytimes, craft programs, library card information, and more with a visit from our elementary school services coordinator. If you’re looking to learn outside the classroom, the library makes a great field trip destination! Whether you want to attend a themed storytime or introduce your middle schoolers to Aurora’s vibrant past in the Community History Center, our librarians can curate a tour and/or program tailored for your students’ needs.
All of these services and more will be covered in detail during our Library Open House for Aurora Educators Tuesday, Oct. 21. Start the evening with a slice of pizza (or two), grab some giveaways, and pick up your very own library card (if you haven’t already). Then, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the library and head over to our Makerspace to check out all the cool gear—like our 3D printer, Cricut Explore Air 2, heat press, laser cutter/engraver, and vinyl cutter. Before you leave, swing by the Tech Tools Station for live demos of our databases, educational apps, and digital storytelling tools you can start using right away.
From snuggling up with a story to diving into a research project, APLD is here to help kids, parents, and educators succeed. Information for parents can be found under the Children & Teens tab on our website aurorapubliclibrary.org and Educator resources can be found directly at
www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/educators. You can also call 630-264-4117 or chat with us online for more information. Let’s make the 2025-2026 school year one for the books—literally.
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.