We warmly welcome you to our new Family engagement area! Visit us in the main library and discover our youth collections and activities for all ages!
Family engagement is a shared responsibility of families, educators, and communities to support the learning and development of children. Family engagement begins at birth and continues into young adulthood. It happens wherever children learn – especially in the library.
This is the model that the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County follows and is very important to us. We believe that hands-on participation in the learning process is key to getting the most out of the learning process. We focus on early childhood literacy and imaginative play, as well as promoting the love of STEAM (science, engineering, art, and math) through interactive toys and programs. We have a dedicated section for teenagers, kids, and makers to explore. We want our community to immerse themselves in new hobbies and interests, and enjoy our wonderful collection of books, films, and more.
Enjoy the kitchen in the children’s play area with a selection of pots, pans and dishes. There is a vegetable garden where children can plant and harvest vegetables too. We encourage collaboration, imagination and thinking outside the box. One of our favorite features in the play area is the tree house. With a huge lighted breadboard and a gorgeous eight-foot-tall tree, this is the perfect place to let your creativity run free!
The STEAM table is surrounded by our non-fiction book collection, which also includes take-home kits! We’ll have activities for you to explore. Our goal with this room is to immerse children in the scientific process. By asking questions, researching and experimenting, children become involved in the world around them!
Arousing curiosity is a goal of the library and that is a focus of our DIY section. We want customers to have the opportunity to work with devices they otherwise don’t have access to and improve their skills. Employee skill development is a key component of this room as it has a recording studio where you can use professional tools to create unique video résumés. Be sure to open the DIY section very soon.
The youth space offers a collaborative atmosphere with easy-to-move furniture, whiteboards to sketch out your plans, and plenty of places to plug in and recharge. In this area is the YA collection with hundreds of titles to browse through. We want to encourage community partnerships that expand the program and give teenagers what they want to see.
We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting and new space! If you have any questions, please call us at 330-744-8636 or drop by and talk to our staff. We can’t wait to see you!
Carla
Born in the Mahoning Valley and lived in Washington DC and Pittsburgh. I love learning new skills and cultivating hobbies. I usually sit in front of a computer, which is my favorite place. I love teaching programming, 3D design, and making people of all ages enjoy technology. You can see me in the Austintown and Michael Kusalaba Libraries.
This press release was prepared by the Youngstown & Mahoning County Public Library. The views expressed here are your own.
