Garfield Heights Branch - Cuyahoga County Public Library

Although toys usage has been restricted this year. We have a good-sized play area with built-ins including a kitchen; car; flannel story-boarding and other exploration, as well as many toys, puppets and puzzles always available for children and parents.  Since becoming a FPL, we built up our Parenting Collection of books and brochures, which are next to the Concept Books and Board Books collections. Many parents are so appreciative of these, as well as our monthly Parenting display board by the storyroom that highlights a theme-category of the Parenting Collection and includes handouts.  We usually get about 1,200 children and parents playing in our space monthly.  Numbers have been much less during covid towards 300 due to intervals of being closed to the public.     Many of our programs have been switched to be offered virtually or held outside during warmer months and families have been very appreciative. We find that many of the babies have had no social interaction and that this workshop is instrumental in their development.  We offer the 5-week PCW series in the Fall and Spring, and single-day Baby & Toddler Sensory Play specials in the months without the series have been temporarily discontinued.      Our Children's Staff is very proactive in connecting with parents and their little ones, plus connecting with outside community resources for PCW experts and to collaborate on reaching more families.