WARRENTON — Seeing a large number of home-schooling families using the Warrenton Community Library, library staff this fall decided to provide more intentional programming for home-schooled children and their parents.

“We knew that there was a fairly large home-school community that utilized the library,” said Josh Saranpaa, the library’s director. “So we wanted to create a program that allowed the parents and the families to socialize, interact, get to know other home-school parents, families, as well as allow their children an opportunity to meet and socialize.”

The Homeschool Hangout program has seen consistently high attendance, according to Saranpaa. On the first Friday of the month, the library provides arts and crafts supplies for children to play with while parents socialize over coffee or tea. The program is relatively free-form, but Saranpaa noted that if demand remains high, the library may begin using the time for more structured educational activities.

Home-schooling has seen a boom both nationwide and in Clatsop County over the past several years, with a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2022-2023 school year, 101 families in Clatsop County notified the Northwest Regional Education Service District of their intent to home-school their children, including 17 in the Warrenton-Hammond School District and 57 in Astoria.

Saranpaa explained that many home-school families had already been utilizing the library both for educational resources and library programs like Science Club, Lego Club and storytimes.

Veronica Herkins home-schools her two children, who are 3 1/2 and 8 years old. She frequently uses both the Warrenton and Astoria libraries as resources for her children’s education.

“My kids joke because on Wednesdays, it’s our double library day,” Herkins said. “We go to the Astoria Library in the mornings and then we head over to the Warrenton library in the afternoon. They love it … It’s just a really great chance not only for them to socialize and then to participate in the programs and meet other kids their age, but the library is such an amazing resource.”

Herkins has found the Homeschool Hangout program to be another great resource for her and her children, especially because of the connections she has been able to make with other home-schooling parents.

“It’s just a really nice thing, I think, especially for home-schoolers,” she said. “We’re not part of a co-op right now, and so it’s just a really nice way to meet other kids and other parents and spend our time.”

Saranpaa emphasized that the Homeschool Hangout program is part of a broader effort to meet community needs.

“We really try to emphasize that community piece,” he said. “And we want this to be a good opportunity for people to interact and socialize and get to know one another, as well as a safe place for them to come in, and learn more and be creative.”