Southwest Louisiana homeschool families will have a new option for resources and networking opportunities beginning this summer.

Buy the Book SWLA Homeschool and Resource Center will be the first home-school bookstore of its kind offering resources to families who feel a unique burden in educating their children.

“We just kind of want to be a hub for home-school moms and if I can’t do it I’m going to find somebody who can,” said Treasure Smith, store coowner, describing the store’s unique community-minded business model.

When Smith began home schooling one year ago, she said she found the process of getting started filled with unique obstacles.

“Everything is online. Sites have just a couple of sample sheets (of curriculum) to view, but there’s nothing I can put my hands on around here,” she said.

Things fell into place, however, when she visited an out-of-state bookstore with a multitude of curriculum open and ready for viewing.

“They had it all and I got to flip through everything,” she said. “The books I assumed would work I actually didn’t care for how they worded things. I was able to find what would truly work best for us.”

Buy the Book will get its inventory from wholesale providers and also have“buy back” days where families can donate or sell their used curriculum to the shop for resale.

“Either way, I’m more interested in getting the books in people’s hands so they can touch it, feel it and look at it,” she said. “That way, they’re not buying hundreds of dollars worth of curriculum that’s just going to sit on their shelves because they realize as soon as they get it, it’s not going to work for them.”

Buy the Book will also serve as a resource center for families with questions and concerns about educating their children.

“I’m not an educator and I didn’t go to school for this, but like a lot of moms we know beyond a shadow of a doubt know we’re supposed to be doing this. So they also need someone who can partner with them and say, ‘You got this. Your kid’s great. Keep going. How can we help you?’ ”

The store’s resource liaison will help families with getting started, legislative matters and can connect families with similar interests or challenges.

“I don’t have a dyslexic kid, so I don’t know how to encourage her. But there’s a mama out there who does,” Smith said.

The center is located at 89 Center Circle in Sulphur. It will host its first buy back days 2-5 p.m. June 7 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 8. The grand opening is set for July 9.

For more visit, facebook.com/Buythebookswla/.