Family Place Library

CMPL began the training and certification process to become a Family Place Library at all three locations in November 2015. This process was completed in April 2017. Expanding the traditional role of children’s services, Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parental involvement and supportive communities play a critical role in young children’s growth and development.

 

Core Components

• Collections of materials (books, music, toys) for babies, toddlers, parents and caregivers.
• The Parent-Child Workshop, a 5-week program for toddlers and parents, which emphasizes the importance of play and the importance of parents as a child’s first teachers.
• Coalition-building with community agencies to develop programs and services that meet local needs.
• Outreach to new and non-traditional library users, especially parents and very young children.
• Developmentally-appropriate programming for very young children and their parents.
• Library staff trained in family support, child development, parent education, and best practices.

Why is Family Place important?

Family Place Libraries™ redesign the library environment to be welcoming and appropriate for children beginning at birth. They connect parents with the resources, programs and services offered at the library and other family service agencies. In this way, CMPL may reach out to non-traditional library users. This creates the network families need to nurture their children’s development during the critical first years of life and helps ensure all children enter school ready and able to learn.