Resources for Families and Educators

Resources for Families

Find programs and resources to help develop children's language skills and encourage a lifelong love of learning.

• Get a Library Card. 
• Discover books, music, movies and more for the whole family in our online catalog, or in the Digital Library.
• Free events for all ages, babies and toddlers, preschoolers, children, tweens, and teens at ten library locations across Sarasota County.
• Visit a storytime in person or watch on-demand storytime on our Vimeo Channels- A-Z Storytime, Spanish Storytime, and Fast Fun for Little Ones!
• Explore STEM topics with our very own STEM Club! View recorded events on our Vimeo STEM club Channel.
• Keep the learning going, check out a free mobile hotspot with your Sarasota County Library card.
• Visit the resource pages for early literacy (babies, toddlers and preschool), children and teens.

Resources to Support Educators

Digital Library

The Digital Library is your one-stop-shop for all digital resources from Sarasota County Libraries. Access all of our databases, including accessible databases CloudLibrary, hoopla, HelpNow and more. Explore Homework Help or specific categories relevant to your academic focus, such as arts, history, job preparation. 

BrainFuse HelpNow

Brainfuse HelpNow™ is a unique tutoring, homework help, and studying suite designed to assist patrons of all ages succeed. It provides differentiated learning solutions for users of diverse needs, background, and for all ages.

• Get Live homework help every day 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. (except holidays).
• Develop skills within the SkillSurfer section, which offers extensive library of lessons, videos, and practice tests in a wide range of academic subjects. SkillSurfer includes state-aligned skills building, practice tests, college application assistance, ESL services, parent resources, life skills development and more.
• Test your knowledge with practice tests in ASVAB, TOEFL, SAT, ACT, and more.

Educator's Reference Complete (Gale OneFile)

Gain insight on issues in administration, funding, and policy. Best for educators, administrators, and education students. Over 450 full-text academic journals, hundreds of full-text academic journals, and premier reference sources focused on educational principles, child development and psychology.

Elementary (Gale in Context)

Introduce elementary students to database searching with resources featuring age-appropriate, curriculum-related content. Best for students K-Grade 5. formerly Kids InfoBits

Middle School (Gale in Context)

Explore the most-studied topics including cultures, government, people, history, literature, and more. Articles include topic overviews, plot summaries and primary sources. formerly Junior Reference Collection

High School (Gale OneFile)

Search magazines, journals, newspapers, and reference on a range of topics. Best for middle- and high-school students. formerly InfoTrac Student Edition

Reading

ABCmouse Bring Learning Home

Helps kids learn through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music and much more. Now available from home with your library card.

Register for an account, then use ABCmouse online or login to the ABCmouse Kids Learning Game app. Get the app! – iOS | Android| Kindle Fire

You may use ABCmouse in library without creating an account.

The Library Foundation for Sarasota County is grateful to the Koski Family Foundation and the Bladel Charitable Trust for supporting early literacy programs in our libraries. Grants from these two generous donors will fund free multi-year access to the ABCmouse Early Literacy digital platform, ensuring thousands of preschoolers have access to age-appropriate early learning tools. These grants will help children build the foundational skills needed for school success and provide equitable learning opportunities for families across the county. 

Beanstack

Encourage your students to join reading challenges through the year. 

Get the app! - iOS | Android

Book Club Bags

Sets of 10 books with discussion guides geared toward children and young adults.

Florida Electronic Library's eBooks and Resources for Grades K-5

Selection of eBooks for topics including study skills, math, science and history.

Digital Library Tutorials

Checkout our Digital Library Tutorials where you can learn how to use all of our digital resources including the above databases, how to research for grant funding, using Microsoft Office and more.

Documentaries from Netflix

Netflix has made dozens of their documentaries free on their YouTube Channel. Educators, read more about Educational Screenings of Documentaries. 

Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County

The community’s one-stop resource for information about early learning experiences in Sarasota County.

Notable Childrens' Media

Discover real-time, dynamic, and interactive media content for children 14 years of age and younger that enables and encourages active engagement and social interaction while informing, educating, and entertaining in exemplary ways. Developed by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Assocation.

PowerMyLearning

Free online math learning games and activities for K-12 students, parents and educators.

UCF Diversity Family Database

Explore bibliographies that empower children with materials that reflect their families. Developed by University of Central Florida.