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Communications Toolkit for Family Place Libraries™
Looking for ways to introduce Family Place Libraries™ to your library community? The Family Place Communications Toolkit provides sample marketing and presentation materials to promote Family Place Libraries to your staff, board, community organizations, families and media outlets. Originally created with funds from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, these materials are designed for staff of Family Place Libraries and can be used in tandem with other materials available via Adobe Connect.
General Talking Points and Informational Materials
Sample Key Message Sheet 
PDF Version
- Short and to the point, this summary of key messages and ideas about the purpose of Family Place provides a quick, easy-to-remember summary of talking points, facts and stories. These simple key messages will help with one-on-one conversations with parents, and presentations to staff and community groups.
Frequently Asked Questions PDF Version
- This fact sheet provides succinct answers for individuals, groups and the media about the core components of Family Place Libraries™.
Promote to Staff
PowerPoint Presentation for Staff – 
MS PowerPoint PDF Version
This PowerPoint includes notes to assist you in presenting Family Place Libraries™ initiative to library staff.
Promote to Community Organizations
- This document outlines the benefits of partnering with public libraries for teachers and child care providers as well as the benefits to the children and families they serve. It also provides practical tips for early childhood educators and child care providers on how to initiate partnerships with their local libraries.
- Customize and distribute these letters to promote Family Place to community organizations and agencies. Longer and shorter samples are provided.
- Long version –
MS Word PDF Version - Short version – MS Word PDF Version
- Long version –
- This thorough Powerpoint presentation - including notes and talking points - will assist you with group presentations on the what and why of Family Place along with the importance of community partners. Feel free to customize it with your own library photos and particular library and/or community information.
- Family Place™ Video
- Parent/Child Workshop Video
- Check It Out: Partnering with Libraries and Museums to Extend Learning in the Early Years PDF Version
- Sample Letters to Community Groups
- Powerpoint Presentation for Community Groups – MS PowerPoint PDF Version
Promote to Media Outlets
- Tailor these public service announcements for your local radio, television and cable stations.
- Customize this press release for local print and broadcast media outlets to announce the library’s participation in the Family Place Libraries initiative.
- Tailor this media alert with details about the banner presentation celebrating your library’s official recognition as a Family Place Library.
- Sample Public Service Announcements for Radio and Television – MS Word PDF Version
- Sample Press Release – MS Word PDF Version
- Sample Media Alert – MS Word PDF Version
(for a ribbon cutting or opening of your Family Place Library)
Promotional Materials
Below are links to sample flyers, brochures, bookmarks, and news items that were produced as part of the IMLS grant. Visit the Family Place Libraries website for updated news items. The Adobe Connect site contains additional resources for Family Place library staff.
Brochures about Family Place Spaces, Programs, Collections, and Services
- Play, Learn and Grow Together at your Family Place Library, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
- Play, Learn and Grow Together at your Family Place Library, Las-Vegas-Clark County Library District, NV
- Play, Grow and Learn Together at your Family Place Library, Maimie Dowd Eisenhower Public Library, Broomfield, CO
- Bright from the Start, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs, CO
- 1,2,3 Play With Me, Kalamazoo Public Library (MI)
- Parent-Child Workshop, Stark County District Library (OH)
- Play and Learn with Me, Farmington Community Library (MI)
- Play, Learn and Grow Workshops, Cuyahoga County Public Library (OH)
- Play, Learn and Grow Together at your Family Place Library, Las Vegas – Clark County Library District (NV)
- Parent-Child Workshop at Dorris Van Doren Library, El Paso Public Library (TX)
- Parent-Child Workshop Flyers and Posters
Library Newsletters
- “Library Launches Family Program.” Library Link to the Orion Community. Orion Township Public Library, Winter/Spring 2014.
- “New Early Literacy Programs for our Youngest Patrons.” News & Views, Rochester Hills Public Library, Spring 2014.
Newspaper and Media Items
- Belcher, Caitlyn. “VIEW.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 13, 2014.
- “Celebrate Broomfield Library’s Family Place Status.” Broomfield News, May 11, 2014.
- “Family Place Library – Branigan Library Receives National Designation.” My Las Cruces Report, Las Cruces Sun News. May 4, 2014.
- “Grand Opening Held for Fountain Branch Library’s New Family Place.” El Paso County and Fountain Valley NEWS, February 5, 2014.
- Maliszewski, Joanne. “Liteacy & Learning.” Farminton Observer, January 12, 2014.
- Molnar, Nancy. “Family Place Areas at Two Stark Library Branches Turn Interactive Play into Learning Sessions.” Akron Beacon Journal, November 13, 2015.
- Plummer, Sara. “Libraries to Become Family Resource.” Tulsa World (OK), April 22, 2013.
- Robins, Andrew. “Kalamazoo Library to Become a ‘Family Place’.” WMUK News, August 1, 2015.
Professional Journals
- Kropp, Lisa. “Family Place Libraries Recast the Librarian’s Role in Early Learning.” School Library Journal, June 8, 2015.
- Maughan, Shannon. “All in the Family: a Look at How the “Family Place” Library Program is Transforming Libraries.” Publishers Weekly. June 2015.