Homeschool benefits and savings in Salina and Saline County
A free Salina Public Library Educator Card lets homeschool parents in Salina or Saline County borrow with no overdue fines, reserve multiple copies of a title, and check out educator kits such as Sphero BOLT robots and 3D pens for four weeks. You apply online, then show a photo ID and proof of homeschool membership at the library.
Who qualifies
Lives in Salina or Saline County
Educator Cards are for educators who live in the city of Salina or in Saline County.
Homeschools your child
Homeschooling parents and guardians are listed as eligible, alongside teachers, librarians, and licensed childcare providers.
Shows ID and homeschool proof
Bring a photo ID with your address, such as a driver's license, plus one more document, which can be valid proof of homeschool membership.
Owes less than $5
Educators can check out any item while the account balance is under $5.
What the card gives you
The terms come from Salina Public Library's school resources, library card, and educator kits pages.
- Card cost
- Free
- Overdue fines
- None
- Educator kit loan
- 4 weeks
- Kit request notice
- One week ahead
- Balance that blocks checkouts
- $5 or more
- Card renewal
- Every 3 years
The library does not list an item limit for educator cards or say which homeschool documents count as proof of membership, so ask the circulation desk before you go.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Register online
Fill out the library's online self-registration form at discover.salinapubliclibrary.org.
- After you register
Confirm educator status
Email circ@salinapublic.org to confirm your status as an educator.
- At the library
Pick up your card
Bring your photo ID and homeschool proof to the library at 301 W. Elm St.
- A week before you need it
Request a kit
Use the Request Your Kit form, then keep the kit for up to four weeks.
- Every three years
Renew the card
Bring your ID to the library to renew.
What it includes
Included
- Books and media with no overdue fines
- Multiple copies of a title on request
- Classroom kits include a set of 14 Sphero BOLT robots and 11 3Doodler 3D pens, and daycare kits cover infants, toddlers, and storytelling for ages 3-7.
- Library digital resources
Not included
- Educators living outside Saline County
- Checkouts while you owe $5 or more
To reserve multiple copies, contact the Head of Youth Services for children's titles, the Head of Information Services for adult titles, or the Head of Technology for classroom kits.
Who to contact about the card
The circulation desk confirms educator status and answers Educator Card questions.
circ@salinapublic.org 785-825-4624 School resources
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Kansas
You must register the school name, address, and records custodian with KSDE once, not annually. You must notify the previous school when transferring a student.
Kansas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum. Instruction must be competent and substantially equivalent in time to the local public school term.
- Testing: Kansas does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: KSDE recommends complete progress records for transfers and college admission; it does not prescribe a homeschool portfolio or attendance-record format.
- Teachers: Courses must be taught by competent instructors; a state teaching license is not required.
Read the Kansas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Kansas
Questions parents ask
- Will we pay late fees on the Salina Educator Card?
- No. Educator Cards are not charged overdue fines, though a balance of $5 or more stops checkouts.
- Can I get several copies of a book for a co-op?
- Yes. Educators can reserve multiple copies by contacting the right library department head.
- Who answers questions about kits?
- Youth Services handles daycare kits at youthservices@salinapublic.org or 785-833-9220, and Technology handles classroom kits at tech@salinapublic.org or 785-833-9206.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Books and library resources give your child something to explore. We turn their interests into coursework, so library discoveries can lead to deeper study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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