Beyond books: How Twin Cities libraries prioritize play
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When Twin Cities librarians want to freshen up their kids' sections with new activities, they do what you might expect: Borrow them.
The big picture: Rotating items and activity sets are part of a bigger push by local library systems to prioritize playing.
Why it matters: In addition to big benefits for learning and social connection, library play spaces offer hours of free entertainment for cooped-up families during the winter.
State of the stacks: All Hennepin County and St. Paul public libraries now offer some sort of play component.
- But not all libraries have space to feature or store tons of toys. That's where the rotating kits come in.
Case in point: Hennepin County librarians can request sets with themes like chicken coops or outer space, Dana Bjerke, a nationally recognized youth services librarian, tells Axios.
- The goal, she says, is to offer families a "whole new play experience" every time they come in.
St. Paul has taken a similar approach, with a system of rotating play spaces that changes every six weeks.
- Popular themes include coffee shops and cleaning kits, Saint Paul Public Libraries youth and family services manager Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser tells Axios.
What they're saying: Johnson-Kaiser sees toys as tools for fostering imaginative play, considering them a "core service" — much like providing computers for adults.
- "We always are encouraging families to read with their kids, but the learning, the spending time together, the hands-on elements are such an essential part of children's development," she says.
Zoom out: Local system leaders say they encourage librarians to freshen up spaces as needed and dedicate funds for making kids' areas even more imaginative during major branch remodels.
- Hennepin County, for example, has a contract for custom furniture from a local vendor that designs children's museum exhibits.
Between the lines: It's difficult to draw a direct line between play spaces and overall library use, since there's no admission fee and branches vary so much in terms of space and collection size.
- But Johnson-Kaiser says surveys and staff observations point to an increase in families using the libraries for play since they launched the kits a year and a half ago.
The bottom line: You don't need to be a member — or even a resident — to take advantage of a library's kids' area. All are open to the public during normal branch hours.