The Family Place™ Training Institute brings together passionate library staff from across Texas for an inspiring experience focused on supporting families in their communities. Bee Cave Public Library became a Family Place™ location back in 2016, and graciously hosted our 2026 Family Place™ Training Institute. Staff from libraries across the state, from El Paso to Montgomery County, came together to learn about implementing Family Place™ practices into their spaces.
Each day of training focused on practical strategies, including securing staff buy-in, adapting play areas to fit smaller spaces, and building strong community partnerships. Through discussions and examples, Family Place™ staff shared valuable insights that equipped attendees to implement the model in their libraries. The first full day began with a presentation on child development and behavioral information by Certified Parent Coach, Jhenisse Moreno. Throughout the multi-day training, we also worked through group activities, such as talking through difficult real-life situations involving families at a public library. The group activities facilitated by Family Place™ staff gave attendees the opportunity to learn from each other and gain different perspectives, all while building lifelong professional connections.
The training showcased the importance of play in a child’s development, and libraries’ potential impact for creating communities that support children and their families. Every year, training institute attendees include both library staff who are launching a Family Place Library™ for the first time and those already working in Family Place Libraries™ who have not yet been formally trained. Attendees who have already facilitated programming based on the Family Place™ model shared their communities’ response. Parent-Child Workshops are 5-week-long program series that caregivers often flock to. Not only do young participants gain skills through play, but adults are able to engage with resource professionals, such as pediatricians and speech pathologists, in a welcoming environment. During the program, caregivers also build connections with other adults who may be facing similar challenges.
On the second full day of training, Melissa Burke, Youth Services Librarian from Bee Cave Public Library, showed us around their library’s play area, and invited attendees to observe a piece of her Parent-Child Workshop. Seeing the essential parts of Family Place™ at play helped attendees feel eager to develop their own play areas and plan their first programs. Melissa Slaughter, Gretchen Hardin, and additional Bee Cave Public Library staff created a welcoming environment for our attendees to learn in, and we are so grateful for their hospitality!
Are you interested in applying for a future Family Place Libraries™ grant? Applications open in September, so mark your calendars and let us know if you have any questions! We cannot wait to see how this year’s cohort transforms their libraries into a community hub for early learning!
