The History of the
Springfield Area Curriculum (SAC) Lending Library

Back in the 1990′s, homeschooling mother Carol Gariepy asked around for book donations to help a family to begin homeschooling. Carol Getty, another homeschooling mother, donated some of her supplies to this cause. Later, Mrs. Gariepy asked Mrs. Getty for her thoughts on a so-called “Homeschool Library” for all area homeschoolers to borrow from. They both agreed it was a great idea and the SAC (Springfield Area Curriculum) Lending Library was born.

At first, the curriculum was kept in boxes by Mrs. Gariepy, then in Carol Getty’s garage. In the beginning, flyers were printed and passed around. If someone wanted to borrow a book, they had to call and make an appointment to see the collection and decide whether they could use something.

A lot has changed since then! Neither of the ladies who started this ministry is still involved, but they are still greatly appreciated by the families who have benefited from their idea. Through the years, our collection of materials has grown into the thousands, we’ve moved locations a few times, and most importantly, joined the world of technology! These days, our users are able to go online to peruse our catalog, check their accounts, and stay informed of the latest SAC news.

As we have grown and found better ways to serve area homeschooling families, we have also stayed true to the original dream. We are still operated by a 100% volunteer team, and the homeschooling community continues to be very generous in donating to this cause! Because of this structure, we are still able to keep borrowing costs very low. The money that we charge for membership cards and rental fees is all used for necessary SAC expenses, such as our online catalog, website fees, processing supplies for new donations, damaged or outdated inventory replacement and occasionally, to purchase high-demand books.

In 2004, the SAC Library became a part of Home Education Shortstop, which is a nonprofit corporation. This means that donations to the SAC are tax-deductible.