Family Place Symposiums
This biannual national event brings together Family Place colleagues from around the country as well as staff from those libraries interested in learning more about the Family Place Libraries™ initiative. Participants have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with one another and hear presentations from experts in the fields of early childhood, parenting and early literacy.
Past Symposium presenters include author, educator and developmental psychologist, Betty Bardige; Charlotte Huck Professor, Barbara Kiefer; and parenting and child development expert, Jennifer Birckmayer.
 James R. Keller, AIA, is a partner with the multi-disciplined architectural/engineering firm VITETTA, based in Philadelphia. Mr. Keller created the VITETTA Library Design Studio in 1996. Read More |
Building Block:
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Since then, he has provided the
design vision and project direction for
several significant American library
systems including the Free Library of
Philadelphia, San Antonio Public Library,
TX, Broward County Public Library, FL and
Lexington Public Library, KY. Mr. Keller
has also designed Libraries in South
America and the Middle East and has
forged international library design collaborations with
Schmidt Hammer Lassen of Denmark and Foster and Partners
of London.
Recent projects include the new Children's Public Library in
Muscat, Oman to be the first public Library in Oman -
unique in its design and service model in the Middle East.
Mr. Keller provided design leadership and guidance in the
creation of the largest public Library ever constructed in
Chile. At over 200,000 square feet of space, this Library is
an overwhelming success a true destination for Chileans
and international visitors.
Mr. Keller has developed an internationally respected
expertise in library design and is completing a soon to be
published book on designing space for children with coauthor
Sandra Feinberg, MLS, for ALA Publications. Mr.
Keller promotes functional design that supports the mission
of library service and embraces architectural and interior
design excellence. Mr. Keller believes that the evolving
mission and nature of library service must be accommodated
by flexible, creative design that renders itself
through lasting architectural presence.
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 Kathy Deerr, National Coordinator, Family Place Libraries™. |
Symposium Introductions:
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How can we ensure that our toddlers and our three year olds get those content rich, congnitively challenging, language building experiences that they need, so our four and five and six year olds ... don't have to catch up? Family Place Libraries can be a model, a training site, an information source and a catalyst. You can start by providing a language rich setting ... that [parents and child care providers] can replicate in their own homes or child care centers.