About Us
About Children’s Preservation Library
“Why do we need library books, when we already have textbooks, and too little time (and interest) for those?“
“How are your books different? More importantly, can they somehow engage my son, or help my daughter achieve real learning?”
Fair questions. Because, most parents today have never seen a living book, a sumptuous literary treasure from yesteryear (and the best books of today). It’s been so long since the “Golden Age of Youth Literature” (when lyrically written, artist-illustrated books were published in high quality on every imaginable academic topic) that even most adults assume books are boring. Why? We only had dry/woke/texty books, so could hardly wait to get school over with, to start our real life. But, when you borrow CPLibrary’s living books, your daily learning is the pulsating core of real life. You’re thereby launching your kids to become all they were meant to be…to the benefit of others, now and eternally!
Believe it or not, these living books are so rich in their very nature (the very opposite of most books kids/teens see today), that they can either be “dessert” for what you’re doing in education already, or they can be the “main course” on their own! They also were written when the culture wanted its next generation to know virtue, patriotism, character, wonder, initiative, and creativity, which was redolent in these living books. Well, you still want that for your offspring! And, so do we!
That’s why, when you come in, you’ll receive energetic help from the volunteers to help you find the just-right books for your kids. What are they wondering about? Learning about? Where will they be traveling?
Or, use our online database, for convenient reserves, which can be picked up either inside (during hours of operation) or outside (from our 24/7/365 storage locker).
The bottom line? A living book is so vibrant and impactful that it "captures attention, secures interest," and "arouses something noble in the heart of the child, without any effort on the part of the teacher or the taught." What could be better? Whether your kids are in school, or home-educated, whether classical, Charlotte Mason, or traditional. Join today!
In a hurry?
CPL offers a full online database, for convenient online reserves, which can be picked up at location either during hours of operation, or put out in our locker for you to pick up at your convenience. Drop your returns and you’re good to go!
Did you know…
The Children’s Preservation Library is entirely volunteer-run?
Every part of CPL is made possible by people who give their time because they love this library and its mission. Our volunteers serve as librarians during open hours—checking patrons out, processing returns, shelving books, recommending favorites, and helping families find the perfect resources. However, each volunteer does so much more than that, bringing unique gifts and passions that make CPL special; read about each below!
Meet the Team
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Michelle Howard - Owner/Founder | CFO/Aquisitions
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Marni Wielenga - Lead Preservation Librarian
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Joy Vanderley - Development Director
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Cheryl Susan - Head of Media Services
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Kaycie Susan - Media and Scheduling Manager
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Julia Wheelock - Creative Director
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Beckie Simkins - Administrative Director
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Kate Bolton - Outreach Ambassador
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Lauren Mckolay - Marketing Consultant
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Owner/Founder CFO/Aquisitions
“Miss Michelle” started this private library more than 30 years ago, and what began as one library has grown to four—with more on the horizon! Based in Florida, she leads book acquisitions, one million other things, and loves helping readers discover a passion for learning through living books.
Michelle homeschooled her four children and is now the proud grandma of seven. She enjoys history, architecture, and, of course, reading. Her favorite books are Jane Eyre and Consider This by Karen Glass.
Fun fact: Michelle has an amazing memory and has nearly the entire Dewey Decimal System memorized!
Read more about Michelle and her incredible accomplishments below!
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Lead Preservation Librarian
“Miss Marni” is our longest-serving volunteer. For years, she has faithfully cared for our collection by processing new books, entering them into our system, and serving as the liaison for Classical Conversations Book Totes. Her dedication has helped CPL continue to serve our community for so long.
Marni homeschooled her six children and especially loved sharing in all of their "aha!" moments as they learned. She is now the proud grandma of 14 grandchildren. Some of her favorite books are The Wingfeather series and C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy.
Fun fact: Marni is also an incredibly talented textile artist!
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Development Director
“Miss Joy” homeschooled all three of her now-grown children K-12. She loved reading great books together, discussing big ideas, exploring new places through history and geography, and enjoying the slower pace that homeschooling brought to their family.
Joy leads development at the library, helping guide its fresh vision and future growth while building on the strong foundation that's been in place for decades. She specializes in the Charlotte Mason approach to education through living books and loves helping children discover a love of learning. Her favorite book is The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge.
Fun fact: Joy loves hiking and recently completed the West Highland Way in Scotland—a 96-mile trek with gorgeous views!
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Head of Media Services
“Mrs. Susan” has been a faithful volunteer at The Children's Preservation Library for many years. She homeschooled her two children and loved the opportunity to spend time learning alongside them, enjoying the flexibility homeschooling provided and sharing in their educational journey. She is now the proud sports-grandma of five grandchildren, often traveling around for games.
Cheryl’s favorite books include The Robe, Christy, and the Mitford series.
Fun fact: Cheryl has a special passion for movies, and CPL’s VHS/DVD collection is now lovingly housed at her home, where she helps manage this unique part of the library.
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Media and Scheduling Coordinator
“Miss Kaycie” grew up coming to The Children's Preservation Library and was homeschooled K-12th. She says, "CPL is a major part of why I came to love learning history," and now enjoys helping the next generation discover that same love of learning.
Kaycie excels at helping families find the perfect history and music books and loves providing book recommendations in general! She also loves spending time with her five nieces and nephews.
Her favorite books include Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Beric the Briton by G.A. Henty, and just about anything by Stephen Bly.
Fun fact: Kaycie is a piano teacher and teaches private lessons to students of all ages!
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Creative Director
“Miss Julia” grew up at CPL and started shelving books there at just 10 years old! Now, she homeschools her two boys (ages 7 & 8) using the Charlotte Mason method and loves exploring nature and learning alongside her children.
Julia brings creativity and a love for beauty to CPL through her work in library design, web design, and marketing. She also leads storytime at the library, helping create special moments for young readers and their families.
Some of Julia’s favorite books include The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Sherlock Holmes.
Fun fact: Julia’s mom Lynette was the very first volunteer at CPL!
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Administrative Director
“Miss Beckie” is a homeschool mom of three and has already graduated two of her children. She has loved reading wonderful books alongside her kids and appreciates the flexibility homeschooling has given their family to travel and learn together.
Beckie specializes in TruthQuest History and is also a dyslexia tutor, helping families find resources that fit their children's unique learning needs. Her favorite books include Ox-Cart Man, the Brotherband series, and the book of Mark in the Bible.
Fun fact: Beckie is an incredible organizer and a master of Excel!
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Outreach Ambassador
“Mrs. Bolton” homeschools her 16-year-old son and loves the opportunity to spend time together reading amazing literature, trying new things, and developing new skills along the way. She enjoys the journey of learning alongside her son and creating meaningful memories together.
Kate leads homeschool groups in the area and loves helping families get the most out of CPL. She is a Five-in-a-Row specialist and a valued resource in the homeschool community, bringing enthusiasm, knowledge, and encouragement to everyone she serves.
Her favorite books include The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott.
Fun fact: Kate used to be a florist and continues her love of flowers through gardening and arranging for her church!
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Marketing Consultant
“Miss Lauren” is a mom of five and currently homeschools her younger four children. She is actively participating in the TEACH homeschool co-op teaching multiple classes. She loves the gift of being home together as a family and giving her children the freedom to explore their interests while learning about the world around them.
Lauren feels blessed to have a front-row seat to her kids childhoods and to share in those special breakthrough moments along the way. With a background in marketing, she brings her skills to CPL by helping support the library’s outreach and growth.
Her favorite books include Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, and books by Tana French.
Fun fact: Lauren is an exceptional herbalist and can name herbal remedies for all kinds of ailments!
Founder - Michelle Howard
For over 30 years, Michelle has been a librarian, home-education consultant, author, columnist, and speaker, specializing in top-quality living books, educational vision, and history instruction. It began in 1995, when she pioneered the first-known library of “living books” (highest quality, mostly-out-of-print youth literature), which has been thriving ever since! Children's Preservation Library now lends over 25,000 valuable volumes, serving patrons in several counties. Then, in 2016, she founded Living Learning Libraries in Florida, currently lending 60,000+ books from three locations, with imminent additional branches.
Michelle is considered a national leader/expert on living libraries and literature, and helps others around the nation found and operate such libraries, including requests to work with colleges, charter schools, and educational cooperatives. She has been engaged by a non-profit foundation to help the library at Hillsdale Academy (K-12 classical school affiliated with Hillsdale College). She has developed a massive database on youth literature, and her first-hand knowledge of these in all academic areas is unsurpassed.
She has also been asked to speak about education, literature, and history at many levels--both in person and via national radio--and is a regular contributing columnist to various national magazines and educational websites. Additionally, she also privately helps families find deep child-specific vision through local or long-distance consultation as Living Books Lady.
Michelle wrote the multiple award-winning TruthQuest History curriculum, which steers families through American and World history with deep, engaging, spiritually-probing commentary, and which embeds her vast knowledge of topic-specific living books recommendations.
An outstanding student herself in both high school and college (including invitations to apply to West Point, etc.), Michelle graduated summa cum laude from University of Alabama, with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Communications, after an extensive, senior project in youth literature & library science. Michelle home-educated all four of her children—one a Hillsdale College alumnus, admitted to their esteemed Honors Program, and another graduated from Houghton College. She’s been an active member of local churches and educational support groups over the years, has traveled to Europe and Russia several times, including overseas mission trips and international adoption, and now has seven cute grandsons.