Homeschoolers for Our Libraries

Join with ENRICHri to fight for library funding!

Call to action! If you, like many homeschoolers, borrow books from libraries across the state, the delivery for that interlibrary loan system, as well as other programs, may cease to exist due to federal funding being cut.

Homeschoolers are a beautifully diverse group of people. We care deeply about the childhood, education, and growth of our children and families and we have so many ways in which we do so! But one commonality that I hear across families, across groups, across ideologies and approaches and philosophies is the importance of our libraries.

In 2020, ENRICHri conducted a survey of homeschoolers and their library use. 96% of respondents said that libraries are important to their homeschool success. 82% of respondents agreed on one service which they use - Interlibrary Loan (ILL), and more than 60% specified that they used ILL frequently.

Unfortunately, with the current Executive Order of March 14th ordering the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to be eliminated and the actions taken on March 31st to effectively close the institution, the federal funding that our libraries rely on for programs, including ILL, are at risk. From the Rhode Island Office of Library Services (OLIS) regarding ILL: “the cost of the delivery service is supplemented with federal funds. If federal funding is cut, delivery service will be impacted; the extent to which the service is cut will depend on the extent of the federal funding cut. In addition, the salaries of staff who work in the area of delivery are partially supported with federal funds.”

Currently, the extent of cuts to the funding looks to be 100% as IMLS was effectively shuttered on April 1st. According toEverylibrary “Work on processing 2025 grants and 2026 applications has ceased entirely, and the status of previously awarded grants is now unclear.”

There are many other potential impacts of the funding cuts as well, including to summer reading programs, book award programs, and support for the Rhode Island Center for the Book to support programs for children, teens, and adults.

What Can You Do?

Call or email your members of Congress to urge them to overturn this executive order and protect IMLS funding. Share your personal stories of why the library is important to you and your family.
Learn more from the American Library Association and sign up for their action alerts to be up to date on current events pertaining to this action.
Learn more about the impact to local libraries and services in Rhode Island from OLIS.
Share this information with your friends, family, and network in and out-of-state. This will affect libraries nationwide.

Our libraries have long been there for us - please join us to stand up for them!

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Learning Through Travel: Why Homeschool Families Will Love The Capitol Collection

By Melissa Robb • February 12, 2026

Some of the best learning my family has done didn’t happen sitting at the kitchen table. It happened walking through old buildings, asking questions, and seeing things with our own eyes. State capitol buildings are among our favorite stops, we learn so much about a state by visiting these unique and beautiful buildings. If your family likes to travel—or even just take day trips— The Capitol Collection is a wonderful way to turn those outings into something meaningful and memorable. It is a souvenir passbook ($15) that helps families keep track of visits to state capitol buildings. Each visit becomes more than just a stop along the way—it becomes part of your family’s story. Turning Trips Into Adventures Kids love having a purpose, and visiting capitols gives them one. Instead of just passing through a city, they’re exploring, noticing details, and looking forward to marking another visit in their book. Over time, those pages fill up with memories, and the learning happens naturally along the way. It doesn’t feel like “doing school”—it just feels like life. That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about homeschooling. Learning doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Our Family’s Story This means a lot to me because of our own experience. Our family has visited 22 state capitols so far. Our first recorded visit was Pierre, South Dakota in 2009 when my son was 10 years old , and at first it was just something fun to do while we traveled. I never imagined how much it would shape him. One of my favorite memories is a tradition he started. Whenever a capitol had a rotunda, he would lie down on the floor and just look up at the dome. He would study the paintings, the shapes, the light—just taking it all in and thinking what that epic element represented. Those quiet moments often turned into some of our best conversations later. At the Oregon state house we were even able to go up INTO the dome, what a climb! Over the years, those visits led to many talks about history, government, and how laws are made. The experience stayed with him so strongly that he even wrote about it in his law school application essay . Visiting state capitols has expanded to exploring government building internationally such as the Reichstag in Germany and Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa. As a parent, it’s an amazing thing to see something that started as a simple family outing become part of your child’s future. Most recently, we visited Maryland’s capitol during a trip to Annapolis. My son is a young man now and living on his own, but when we travel together, this is still something we do. That’s what makes experiences like this so special—they grow with your children. Why Capitol Buildings Are Such Powerful Learning Spaces State capitol buildings offer a unique blend of subjects all in one place: Civics and government come to life when children see legislative chambers and learn how decisions are made. Local history becomes tangible through exhibits, memorials, and stories tied to each state. Art and architecture surround you, often reflecting the values and culture of the region. Critical thinking and curiosity grow naturally as kids ask questions and make connections. Best of all, these lessons don’t feel forced. They happen through exploration and conversation—often led by the child’s own interests. A Journey Worth Remembering Looking back, I’m so thankful we took the time to stop, explore, and learn together. Those capitol visits weren’t just educational—they were time spent together, sharing discoveries and building memories we still talk about years later. Whether your family visits one capitol or dreams of all fifty, the important part isn’t the number. It’s the time spent learning side by side. (There is a Facebook group for this hobby. It’s small but would be a great way for families to share their experiences!)