SPACE FOR KIDS TO GROW
Babies bounce on laps. Toddlers wander from books to toys and back again. Elementary children arrive via bus 5 days a week. There are songs, stories, games, puppets and play.
But the growing popularity of Library programs and materials for children has brought the simple need for more space. The large meeting rooms overflow during events and noise spills into adjoining areas. Hundreds of kids wiggle and strain to see presenters or engage in story time. During busy times, kids compete for space in the shelves and may lose interest before they find that next great learning toy or picture book. Parents and caregivers wander nearby trying to find a place to sit while children watch, listen and discover on their own.
Upper elementary kids are in their own bind – too old for toys, but not yet part of the teen community – and are squeezed out of space for video games and after-school events.
474,000
estimated total attendance at children’s programs over the last 25 years
29,337
annual attendance in children’s programs prior to pandemic building restrictions
450
kids joined on
one day of the 2022 summer reading program for the shark petting zoo
We have so many books and toys and wonderful materials for story time, but once the kids arrive, there’s simply not enough room for everything and everyone.
Library staff
YOUR GIFT IS CRITICAL
A gift to the Make Room for Renewal project will expand the children’s area, adding a unique, imaginative “story tree” sculpture surrounded by tiered, flexible seating for more visibility and engagement. Comfortable furniture and nearby shelving will add seating and storage for materials and belongings.
More space will be added for caregivers to sit or work nearby, and a “baby zone” will allow the youngest Library patrons to play while parents keep a watchful eye.
Bookshelves will be redesigned for better display and easier access. Toddlers and elementary students will have more space for play and areas for quiet reading. For tweens, room for games and gatherings will be expanded, giving them the space they need.
A new youth desk will provide Library staff with sight lines to monitor areas for both children and teens. And a much-needed workroom will house the ever-expanding collection of program supplies and other resources. More room will mean more children can grow up loving the Library.
90%
of children’s critical brain development occurs by age 5. Building early literacy skills – through story time and other programs – can play a crucial role
Lucas Frerking, a former member of Waverly Public Library staff, passed away in 2016 at the age of 23. Luke was an avid reader, enthusiastic debater and consummate storyteller, and is remembered with love by family, friends and his Library co-workers.
To honor his memory and his affection for stories, Luke’s family introduced the idea of creating a tree within the Library – a unique art feature for children to gather around for story time and other activities.
Now, with seed funds provided by the Frerking family, the Library’s renewal project will make Luke’s tree a reality.
