Cooke County Library

Family Place Libraries™

Thanks to a 2024 Family Place Library Grant from the Institue of Museum and Library Serivces (IMLS) and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), the Cooke County Library is now a Family Place Library™.

Cooke County Library is a proud member of Family Place Libraries™, a national network of libraries that aims to connect parents with the resources they need to nurture their children’s development and learning during the ages of 0 – 3 years. We aim to create a welcoming environment with resources to strengthen children’s skills through purposeful play.

Family Place Library™

As part of the Family Place Libraries™, we offer:

  • An open play space in the children’s area for families with young children to play, read, and imagine together.
  • Parent-Child Playtimes: Five-week programs for toddlers, parents, and caregivers to participate in play-based activities while getting to meet local specialists one-on-one to talk about various aspects of child development and early learning. See details below.
  • Developmentally appropriate programming for younger children and their parents.
  • A special collection of parenting books located in the children’s area that focus on ages 0 – 3 and are easily accessible to parents.
  • Staff to help you locate books and other resources for you and your child.

 

 

“Play, Learn, Grow” Parent-Child Playtimes

Parents and children ages 12 months – 3 years old get the opportunity to register for this free, five-week course. A 75-minute session each week offers opportunities for children to play with developmentally appropriate toys in a play group atmosphere while parents interact with their child, meet other parents, and talk one-on-one with local professionals. Each week will feature a different local professional that specializes in some aspect of development: early literacy, early childhood development, speech and language, nutrition, and music and movement. Each session also aims to emphasize the role of parents as the first teachers of their children and teach strategies for healthy development.

Registration

Registration begins October 1 for Fall 2024 workshops. Registration is required to attend the series.

 

Fall 2024 Schedule:

October 24:      Early Literacy                    Cooke County Library

October 31:       Music & Movement         Cooke County Library

November 7:    Child Development          PerdueWorks Therapy Group

November 14:  Child Nutrition                 Chartwells K12,  Gainesville ISDs Child Nutrition Provider

November 21:  Speech & Language          PerdueWorks Therapy Group

Are you a professional interested in our Parent/Child Playtimes?

We are always looking for new professional partners willing to give their time to assist parents and caregivers during our Parent/Child Workshops by answering questions and having informal, one-on-one conversations with parents about the development of their child.  If you work for a practice, non-profit or other family-serving agency that specializes in the following for children ages 1 – 3 years, we would love to talk to you about a potential partnership:

  • Child Development
  • Speech Pathology
  • Nutrition
  • Professional Counseling
  • Music or Play Therapy
  • Music and Movement for babies and toddlers

Please call the Cooke County Library at 940-668-5530 to be connected to a coordinator.

 

Parents Online Resources:

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Library Association

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

American Psychological Association

The ARC(For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities)

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Center for Effective Parenting University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Child Care Aware® of America

Child Care Resources Inc.

Children’s Home Society of California 

Children’s Safety Network

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Instituteof Child Health and Human Development

Global Family Research Project

Harvard Center for the Developing Child

Family Conservancy

Health Education Associates

Kids Health Nemours Foundation 

March of Dimes-National Office

National Alliance for Hispanic Health

National Association for the Education of Young Children

National Institues of Health

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice

Nemours Reading BrightStart!

Office of Minority Health – Resource Center 

Parenting Counts* Partners for Early Learning

Parents’ Action for Children

Parents as Teachers

Prevent Child Abuse America

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)

Reading Rockets 

Talking is Teaching

Toy Industry Association

USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Zero to Three

 

This project is made possible by a Family Place Libraries grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Grant #FPG-24003) to Texas State Library and Archives Commission under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. (2024).

  • Hours

    The Library is open:
    Monday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
    Tuesday: 9 am - 7:00 pm
    Wednesday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
    Thursday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
    Friday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
    Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm
    Curbside pickup is still available during those hours.

  • Get in touch

    Phone: (940) 668-5530
    Fax: (940) 668-5533
    cookectylib@gmail.com

  • Find us

    Cooke County Library
    200 S. Weaver St.
    Gainesville, TX 76240