Homeschool benefits and savings in Orange County
Orange County Public Library switches a home school teacher's regular card to an Educator account that borrows up to 40 physical items at a time, and invites homeschooled students to get their own full-privilege card. Cards are free for people who live in Orange, Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, or Person County.
Who qualifies
Lives in or near Orange County
Cards are free if you live or work in Orange County, or live in Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, or Person County. Everyone else pays $25 a year.
Has a regular library card
Register at the Hillsborough or Carrboro branch with a government-issued photo ID and proof of residency. A matricula consular ID or faith ID can stand in for the photo ID.
Shows proof you teach
Home school teachers provide proof of current work with a local school organization, and the library switches the regular account to an Educator account. Ask which homeschool document it accepts before you go.
What the card gives you
The limits and fees come from Orange County Public Library's card and fees pages.
- Physical items out on an Educator account
- 40
- Card for residents of the six counties
- Free
- Card for everyone else
- $25 a year
- Overdue fines
- None
- Lost or damaged item
- List price plus $5
- Replacement card
- $1
You are billed for lost, stolen, or damaged items, so keep track of what is checked out on the Educator account.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather your papers
Bring a government-issued photo ID, proof of residency, and the document that shows you teach your homeschool.
- At the branch
Get a card, then switch it
Register for a regular card in Hillsborough or Carrboro, and ask staff to switch it to an Educator account.
- Each visit
Borrow up to 40 items
Check out at the self-checkout machines or a service desk, or place holds online and pick them up when you get an email.
What it includes
Included
- Books, Book Club Kits, and movies
- Kindles and Wi-Fi hotspots
- E-books through Libby, hoopla, and NC LIVE
- PSAT, SAT, and ACT prep through NC LIVE
Not included
- Lost or damaged item charges
- Printing beyond 5 free pages a day
Who to contact about the card
Library staff at the main library in Hillsborough answer questions about cards and Educator accounts.
919-732-8181 Library card page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in North Carolina
You must file the Notice of Intent with DNPE at least five business days before home instruction begins; wait for DNPE acknowledgment before withdrawing or starting. No annual renewal is required while operating; notify DNPE when the school closes.
North Carolina sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum. Operate on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months each year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations.
- Testing: Administer a nationally standardized achievement test each year covering English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics.
- Records: Keep attendance and immunization records. Retain annual test results for at least one year and make them available to DNPE on request.
- Teachers: The teaching parent needs a high school diploma or equivalent in North Carolina.
North Carolina also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- Education Student Accounts (ESA+) pay $9,000 a year, or $17,000 for certain disabilities, to students with a documented disability, including homeschooled students. Funding can run out before the school year starts.
Read the North Carolina homeschooling guide See statewide programs in North Carolina
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool parent get an Orange County Library Educator account?
- Yes. The library lists home school teachers with day care and preschool teachers: show proof that you currently teach, and it switches your regular card to an Educator account.
- Can my homeschooled child have a separate Orange County Library card?
- Yes. Orange County Public Library invites homeschooled students to get a full-privilege borrower's card of their own.
- We live in Durham County. Is the card still free?
- Yes. Cards are free for residents of Orange, Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, and Person counties.
- Can we borrow a Wi-Fi hotspot?
- Yes. Account holders can borrow Wi-Fi hotspots and Kindles, along with books and movies, from the Hillsborough and Carrboro locations.
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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