Parkland Community Library

Parkland Community Library started its Family Place Library in 2023 with the biyearly five-week series of Parent-Child Workshops called 1-2-3 Play with Me in March and December. The librarians purchased educational toys and board books for both the library's youth services space and for the workshops. The impact on the community over the last year was positive. There was an increase in both youth material usage and youth event attendance. Many families have become regular library patrons. The caregivers said they appreciated the opportunity for their children to play with other children as well as receive tips from various experts and meet with other caregivers. The informal, relaxed environment seemed to increase everyone's comfort and approachability. Some caregivers even stayed after the workshops to connect with others. Many caregivers now attend other events such as story time and more. The attendees are a diverse group of people who seem more comfortable with the librarians as they connected on a regular basis.