Texas Public Libraries to Attend Family Place Libraries™

Thursday, May 7, 2015 • Austin, Texas • News Release

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission recently approved funding for 36 Texas libraries to address early learning priorities in their communities and ensure that all children enter school ready and able to learn through training provided by Family Place Libraries™. 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.

Family Place Libraries™ promotes a national model for transforming public libraries into welcoming, developmentally appropriate early learning environments for very young children, their parents, and caregivers. Based on research about the importance of early brain development, the Family Place Library supports the essential role of parents as first teachers and addresses the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of child development to help build a foundation for learning during the critical first years of life. By partnering and working with other social, health and educational services providers, the Family Place model positions libraries as key early childhood and family support organizations within the local community.

Twelve Texas libraries will attend the Family Place Libraries™ Training Institute from May 18-21 in Centereach, NY: Aransas County Public Library, Bertha Voyer Memorial, Bryan & College Station Library System, Denison Public Library, Grand Prairie Libraries, Irving Public Library, McAllen Public Library, Mt. Pleasant Public Library, Nueces County Libraries, Pasadena Public Library, Plano Public Library System, and Wilson County Public Libraries. Twenty-four libraries will attend the Training Institute in the coming fiscal year.

This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. (2015)

To learn more about Family Place Libraries™, please visit www.familyplacelibraries.org.  To learn more about the Texas State Library and Archives Family Place Libraries Project, please contact Christine McNew, Youth Services Consultant, at cmcnew@tsl.texas.gov or 512-463-4856