Karen B Johnson Central Library - Schenectady Public Library

The Karen B. Johnson Central Library is the second Family Place Library within the Schenectady County Public Library system; and this second location is still in its developmental stage. Positioning the Central Library with the Family Place overlay of service has had a greater impact on the community viewing the library and its staff as important community resources in early learning. More families are able to take advantage of Stay & Play (our PCW) at the Central Library so the impact is naturally greater than the visibility garnered by the Bornt Branch becoming a Family Place Library.

As a leader in the Youth Services Department, I have noticed increased administrative buy-in and support since the Assistant Directors have been able to observe first-hand the impact of the PCW. Survey results show participants value the workshops, but administrators being able to see the library meeting room transformed into a play space and the power of learning through play, underscores the value of Family Place Libraries.

During COVID, the Youth Services Department offered early literacy kits, virtual story times, grab & go resources, and outdoor story times called Growing Readers Story Times at a community garden. These were entirely created, planned, and executed during the pandemic as a response to isolation and limited in-person contact. Youth Services Librarians hear time and again, that socialization is more important than ever for parents/caregivers due to extended isolation and solitude. More than during pre-pandemic times, in 2022, parents/caregivers are looking to foster a growth mindset in young children. The common experience among caregivers and educators during the pandemic was how quickly pivoting and adjustments were required and made. This is the foundation for the need of a growth mindset, and that adaptive brain development is inherent to the learning in the PCW experience.