What is a Family Place Library?

Family Place Libraries™ is a national network dedicated to transforming libraries into community centers for literacy, early childhood development, parent education and engagement, family support and community information.

Core components of Family Place include trained library staff, parent-child workshops, specialized collections, specially designed spaces, collaborations and partnerships, additional programming for babies and toddlers, and outreach.

Tyler Public Library became a Family Place Library^TM in 2017 and encompasses the core components of Family Place to provide resources and services that support families and children.

Building Foundations for Early Learning

Tyler Public Library fosters early learning and family and child engagement in several ways:

• Library storytimes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are held year-round on weekday mornings, including Baby Storytime, Toddler Storytime, and Preschool Storytime. Storytimes feature reading, singing, art, and playtime. Check the library’s current storytime schedule on the Early Childhood page. 
• The Library’s playroom is a special place for children of all ages and their families to play and enjoy. Toys available for play are specially picked to foster imagination and encourage learning. Your littles can put on their best show using the puppet theater, cook up dinner with play food and kitchen set, or build towering block skyscrapers! The playroom's doors are open full-time during regular library hours.  
• Parent-child workshops for children ages 0-3 years and their parent or caregiver are held biannually. These five-session program series feature informal playtime, a developmentally appropriate activity, and the opportunity for parents and caregivers to talk with a variety of community resource professionals. Community resource professionals are local specialists in one of the following areas: early childhood literacy, childhood development, nutrition, speech and hearing, and music and movement.
• Parents are their child’s first teacher. To support this endeavor, the library has special collections geared toward parent education and early childhood literacy. Parents can browse the library’s parenting collection in the children’s area on the first floor. Early Literacy Kits geared toward toddlers and preschoolers are also available for checkout and contain five picture books, one music CD, and a developmentally appropriate toy.

Discovery Time Playgroup

Discovery Time Playgroup is a week-long program geared for children age 0-3 years and their parents or caregiver. Each session is one-hour long and is a fun, play-based program that provides a rich environment of toys, books, and art activities. Families have the opportunity to spend time together, make new friends, and talk one-on-one with a different community resource professional each session. 

Funding

This program is possible thanks to a grant from the Texas State Library Archives & Commission, East Texas Communities Foundation, and funds from the Friends of the Tyler Public Library.