Alex Gordon always appreciated the library, but parenthood made him a devotee.
“It's just completely changed how we had envisioned raising a baby,” he says. “There's so much more than just books or lending. There's a sense of community and a lot of programs to be taken advantage of at no cost.”
One of his favorite programs is Baby Storytime at the Langley Library. Every week, Alex and his wife bring their infant son Hugh to sing, read, and play with Ms. Rae.
The program benefits caregivers as much as babies. Parents get to bond with their kids while learning early literacy techniques, often bringing grandparents to join the fun. In fact, Baby Storytime was a highlight of Alex’s parents’ recent visit.
“[They were] cracking up the whole time,” Alex says. “Ms. Rae was making my dad laugh more than any of the kids.”
Alex never expected the library to play such a critical role in his family’s life. When he and his wife welcomed baby Hugh, they weren’t sure “what resources to plug into,” especially because he and his wife work from home. “The opportunity to get out and meet other individuals and babies is quite limited,” Alex says.
Children’s programming, from Storytimes to live music and more, provides a space to connect with other families regularly. For Alex’s family, these relationships continue to blossom outside the library. “It's building a whole new friendship group for us,” he says.
Alex encourages everyone, not just parents, to get to know their local library. “There are courses, there are meetups. We can all get together for concerts,” he says. “We need these types of public resources absolutely now more than ever.”
Alex is serious about libraries, but his primary feeling when he comes through the Langley Library doors is “a sense of fun.” He wonders “what new book we’ll read, what new adventures we'll be exposed to, what new laughs we’ll all share together, and what new friends we might meet.”
As Alex helps Hugh browse the picture books, he notes that they are looking forward to their next library adventure: “going outside and looking for bugs.” And of course, next week’s Baby Storytime is already on the calendar.
“The community is literally everything to us,” Alex says.
Do you have a library story you'd like to share? Send us a message at Marketing@sno-isle.org.