The McArthur Public Library and Walker Memorial Library is Westbrook have been awarded a $2,500 grant from the Sandy
River Charitable Foundation to provide funding to join the national network of Family Place Libraries.
The money will be used for materials, furnishings and equipment plus staff training, technical assistance and site visits by Family Place national staff during a four-year period. The anticipated target audience for the grants will be a diverse range of children up to age 5 and their parents, including teen parents and immigrant families.
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. The program also offers families a place where they can meet, interact with other families with young children and learn from each other.
There are currently 250 Family Place Libraries in 25 states, including libraries in the Maine towns of Auburn, North Berwick, Norway, Topsham, Waterville,and Wilton, which received foundation grants in 2006 and 2007.
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