Family Place Libraries Initiative Expands In Maine
A Sandy River Charitable Foundation grant will provide funding for two Maine libraries in the Northeastern Maine Library District to join the national network of Family Place Libraries.
(Media-Newswire.com) - A Sandy River Charitable Foundation grant will provide funding for two Maine libraries in the Northeastern Maine Library District to join the national network of Family Place Libraries. Rockland Public Library and the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library ( Presque Isle ) will each receive $2,500 for materials, furnishings and equipment plus staff training, and on-site visits and technical assistance by Family Place national staff during a three year period. The anticipated target audience for the grants will be a diverse range of children, birth to age five and their parents, including teen parents.
There are currently 300 Family Place Libraries in 22 states, including libraries in the Maine towns of Auburn, Biddeford, Kittery, North Berwick, Norway, Portland, Topsham, Waterville and Westbrook.
Expanding the role of traditional children’s library services, Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parental involvement and supportive communities play a critical role in young children’s growth and development. The project helps libraries develop into community destinations for early childhood information, parent education, emergent literacy, socialization and family support.
Family Place library staff engages parents and caregivers as first teachers and primary nurturers, enabling them to provide their children with the early literacy experiences necessary for later school success. Working collaboratively with others who provide services for families with young children, library staff ensure that all parents have access to the resources and experiences they need. The program also offers families a place where they can meet, interact with other families with young children, learn from each other, and lessen their isolation. For further information on Family Place Libraries, visit www.familyplacelibraries.org.
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