Martin Library - York County Libraries

Since October 2002, Martin Library has been a Family Place Library. Family Place is a library program that focuses on the community center concept for providing information and support for parents and children aged birth through three. Early childhood information, parent education, early literacy programs, socialization, and family support are key components of this library-driven partnership with community agencies. Research in early childhood learning indicates that academic success is enhanced when the building blocks of literacy and reading skills are in place early, before a child starts school. Further, parents, as a child’s first teachers, play a critical role in young children’s growth and development. Family Place helps parents develop their talents and uses the library as a natural resource to create support mechanisms with other community agencies. What is Family Place? Family Place is a program offered by Martin Library to parents and their children from birth to age three. The parents and children participate in a series of free workshops. This series of five workshops give parents, families and caregivers the opportunity to play with their children and interact with their peers in a comfortable, supportive environment. At the same time, they have the opportunity to interact with a variety of community resource professionals. We invite you to come with your child to play, share, and learn together using toys, books, music, simple art activities, and games. You will take part in a 5-week series of workshops for parents, families, and care-givers and children from ages birth to three years old designed to strength parenting skills. You will have the opportunity to play and read with your child while you chat with community professionals about resources of benefit to you and your family. Parents interact with their children while learning from community professionals. Benefits of the Family Place Program: Caregivers & children spend quality time together learning to play. Caregivers can develop a network of new friends that will connect them to new opportunities. Children have the opportunity to try new experiences in a safe environment. After completing the 5-week program, participants may attend play group sessions. Caregivers will learn about other program opportunities at the library. The time between birth and age six is a period of development and discovery unparalleled in later life. Tremendous physical growth occurs and early literacy skills are learned between birth and age three. The library recognizes the parent’s role as a child’s first teacher and offers age appropriate spaces, materials, programming and opportunities to gain skills through modeling. We provide this support as a Family Place Library.