Homeschool benefits and savings in Centralia
Centralia Public Library gives homeschool accounts a 30-day loan period with one renewal, instead of the regular three weeks, and borrows titles from other Missouri libraries when it does not own what you need. Library cards are free: bring a photo ID and proof of your current address to 210 S. Jefferson Street in Centralia.
Who qualifies
Homeschools your child
The library sets up homeschool accounts with a longer checkout time and a higher checkout limit. Ask at the front desk for your account to be marked as a homeschool account.
Has a library card
Apply in person with a photo ID and proof of your current address. Online applications are no longer accepted.
Adult holds the account
Individual cards go to applicants 18 or older. Family cards for children 5 and up need an adult to complete the application, and that adult is responsible for lost or damaged items.
Account in good standing
If a third overdue notice goes unanswered, the account is suspended and you are charged replacement cost. A homeschool account that gets a Stolen Material notice loses renewals for six months.
What the account gives you
The numbers come from Centralia Public Library's Borrower's Rules and Policies, revised March 13, 2025, and its hotspot page.
- Homeschool account loan period
- 30 days
- Renewals on a homeschool account
- 1
- Regular loan period
- 3 weeks
- Items per card number (standard limit)
- 15
- Card cost
- Free
- Wi-Fi hotspot loan (adults 18+)
- 30 days
The homeschool page promises a higher checkout limit but does not give the number, and new patrons are limited to six items for their first 90 days, so ask the front desk what limit your homeschool account will carry.
How to get the account
- Before you go
Gather your ID
A child 17 or younger needs a parent's or guardian's signature.
- At the library
Get a card and a homeschool account
Fill out the card application at the front desk and ask for the homeschool checkout terms.
- First 90 days
Start small
New patrons may be limited to six items, three of them DVDs or audio CDs, and cannot use interlibrary loan yet.
- Each checkout
Return or renew within 30 days
Homeschool loans run 30 days with one renewal. The library charges no late fees, but unreturned items are billed at their original cost.
- Every three years
Confirm your details
Cards are issued for three years, after which the library checks that your account information is current.
What it includes
Included
- Print books, e-books, and audiobooks
- Launchpad learning tablets
- Interlibrary loan from other Missouri libraries
- Wi-Fi hotspots for adults
- Free test proctoring
Not included
- Printing and copies ($0.10 a page in black and white)
- Replacement cost of lost or damaged items
- Interlibrary loan during the first 90 days
Good to know
Homeschool families get longer loans
The library's homeschool page offers homeschool families a higher checkout limit and a longer checkout time. Its pages do not name a document that proves you homeschool, so ask at the front desk what they need.
The library charges no late fees
Instead of charging fines, the library sends three overdue notices. After the third notice, the account is suspended and you pay the original cost of the item.
Who to contact about the account
Library staff at the front desk set up cards and homeschool accounts and answer questions about checkout limits and test proctoring.
centraliapl@gmail.com 573-682-2036 Contact page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Missouri
No annual homeschool registration required. If withdrawing from public school, a written notice requesting removal from its rolls documents the change.
Missouri sets these rules:
- Subjects: For students under 16, offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction: 600 in reading, language arts, math, social studies, science, or related courses, including 400 at the regular homeschool location. The statutory hours and recordkeeping rules do not apply at age 16 or older.
- Testing: Missouri does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: For students under 16, keep a subject and activity record, a work-sample portfolio, and progress evaluations, or equivalent written or credible evidence.
- Teachers: No state teaching-license or degree requirement for a homeschool instructor.
Read the Missouri homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Missouri
Questions parents ask
- What is a Launchpad?
- A pre-loaded educational tablet. The library has more than 120 of them across subjects and age levels for checkout.
- What if the library does not own a book we need?
- Staff can borrow it from another Missouri library through interlibrary loan once your card is past its 90-day probation.
- Can the library proctor my teen's online course exam?
- Yes. Call 573-682-2036 to set an exam time, and give the instructor the library's contact information so the exam can be sent by mail or online.
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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