Barrett Paradise Friendly Library

We are proud to be a Family Place Library! Family Place Libraries believe that literacy begins at birth. We are committed to building strong communities through early childhood development, parent education, and family support. As a Family Place Library, we offer programs and resources for the youngest children and their parents and caregivers. The FAMILY PLACE PARENT/CHILD WORKSHOP, a 5-week program, is offered twice a year in the spring and fall. It is open to children ages 3 months – 3 years; siblings up to age 5 may also attend. It is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to engage with their child and explore new avenues for learning. The Weiler Community Room is transformed into an early childhood play area with a variety of stations that strengthen development of motor skills, social skills, and early literacy. Each week we are visited by a different community resource professional who informally talks with parents and caregivers about special topics, such as speech, hearing and language development, child development, nutrition, and early literacy. Over the years, this program has brought many new families to the library. People who are new to the library for family place, end up coming to our other programs. Friendships have been forged between parents, children, and staff. Our resource people have also been a valuable asset to the community. The free eye screenings have helped families realize (and correct) eye problems long before they would have been caught in school. The dietitian offered free classes in-store to our families, and many have taken advantage of the fun cooking classes offered through Shoprite. We have a wonderful OT who comes occasionally and she is wealth of information for parents. Overall, this program really enriches the value of the library in our community by providing a safe and fun place to connect and learn.