30+ Library Visit Routine Ideas
When my girls were little, we had a pretty solid library visit routine.
We’d go to the library each week for story time, return our books, pick up holds and check out new books.
Now that we’ve aged out of storytime, it’s been several year since we had a solid library visit routine and this year, one of my goals is to get back to a consistent routine (right now, I drive by our library several times a week, so I’ll just drop in to pick up holds or return books or sometimes make a special trip with some of my kids, but I want it to be a more consistent part of our weekly routine).
I asked on Instagram and there were so many great suggestions for how a library visit works or fits into different schedules.
I loved reading through them and I hope they’ll be helpful to you too!
Library Visit Ideas
- Every week my toddler picks out 1 Sophie Mouse chapter book, 1 Elmer the Elephant book, 1 Jane Cabrera book, 1 book from the holiday section, 1-2 suggested by me, 1 Disney themed easy reader, 1-2 small BOB books or other little very beginner reader books. This gives us a really good variety, lots of repetition, plus my toddler knows the locations of those books in the library and we get them in the same order every week so it’s not stressful at all.
- I work out of the house Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Friday is the only day I can go and I always have holds so I make it
- Tuesday evenings, when our library is open late. We go, hangout, and chill with the books.
- We go on the same day every week. It makes it so much easier to keep track of renewing, returning, and holds
- We visit one night a week! It’s quiet and helps the kids calm down at the end of the day
- I attach it to something else, so for example, Wednesday are farmers market and library.
- We go every 2 weeks (that is how long we can borrow books). We go on Saturdays after lunch.
- Every Sunday after Mass. Our local library and church are very close to each other.
- We go every Saturday morning. Each girl gets 5 books. I have all our picture books lists saved and when we are at the library I request the next 5 so they are waiting for us by the next week! We usually check out about 15-20 books.
- I go Friday or Saturday and keep the books hidden. The “library fairy” puts them out after kids are in bed Saturday night.
- I keep a basket in the house with all our library books in it. Put our library bag next to it when you finish a book, put it in the library bag. When the bag gets full, time to go back!
- I have a better routine with Libby than the building. I do love going through.
- We go when books are due (3 weeks) and come home with 50+ books. I bet the librarians hate me. (Note: I highly doubt the librarians hate you – libraries WANT books to be checked out!)
- At minimum every other Monday because kids checked out tablets and they aren’t renewable
- Library has computer games for kids which I despise! What is the point? We do a ton of the summer programs. I also teach my kids to ask the librarians to help them find books they’re interest in. I research books, put them on hold , and bring them home for kids. (Note: I know the computers are a problem for some families and it feels annoying to have monitor more screen-time. Happily, this means you aren’t the family that needs access to computers and have all the access you need elsewhere! You can set your own boundaries with your kids about using the computers at the library and help them understand that the library is a community resource that provides access for ALL people in the community even if some of those are resources your family doesn’t need).
- We do a homeschool book club on Wednesdays. That’s our library day and then we pop in here or there.
- First week of the month we try to go!
- We used to, but then the kids started running straight to the computers and we don’t go anymore.
- I try to take my daughter to the library once a week, or 1-2 times a month after school then get ice cream
- I keep track of books on Goodreads on TBR, then screen shot them to look for
- When my kids were little I’d take them one-on-one Friday afternoon for an hour.
- Not a library routine, but I try to check out 9-10 books and make it a habit to always grab that many when returning.
- My toddler and I go nearly every day! And that’s the routine, just go all the time.
- Every Tuesday before swim or right after swim since we’re in that neck of the woods. We have a designated spot for books. If it’s full we have to make room before we get more.
- I put my books on hold then my kids can search after pickup (the adult and children sections are not close together)
- Pick up the same day of the week so they are always due the same day of the week.
- We used to go every Friday after school. My kids put off homework until Saturday. It made Fridays fun.
- Saturday morning when the library’s bookstore is open. $1 for hardcovers/50 cents paperback.
- For my little kids, they’re allowed to check out the number of books as their age.
- We go every 3 weeks when our books are due! Saturday morning ritual for us.
- We take homeschool to the library every Tuesday morning, then we have lunch in the park next to it.
- My fitness class and the library are less than 5 minutes away. I go every Thursday after exercising.
- Library is next door to elementary school, so we plan on a good visit once a week.
- Take the kids for Tuesday story time, so I am forced to go
- I do holds only – I send my kids in to pick them up on the way home from homeschool group.
- Thursday is a volunteer day and I get off at 2 pm so errands after including the library.
- Making it a fun outing with my kids and having the books I want ready on hold to just grab
- I go every Friday. Help me pick up holds on time and not have as many late books
- Go once a week. Only borrow a few books.
- Stop by every Friday after work for a new book and movie for movie night.
- I go every Friday after I drop my kids off at school – I pick up holds and turn in my books that are due.
Any other ideas for good library routines? I’d love to hear!
