Thursday, August 13, 2009

Children's Museums & Libraries: part deux


[Justine Roberts Guest Posting]

In my first post on the potential of blending libraries and children’s museums at their root I focused on some of what children’s museums offer libraries. Beyond the common ground in their missions, children’s museums seem to meet a strategic need in the library community.

In addition, one of my take-aways has been about the role children’s museums can play in community-wide discussions about families and children. Other organizations may work with these audiences on similar goals, but don’t understand multi-sensory, exploratory experiences. By incorporating the expertise of children’s museums into a library, the library is able to raise awareness about the needs of families, and how children learn, in a new way.

This kind of blending offers a compelling vision for how the children’s museum model can inform out-of-school time learning and continue to spread the message of playful learning.

But what can libraries offer children’s museums? This will be the topic of my next post.

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