Training Institute

Upcoming Training Dates

2024-2025 Schedule:

In- Person Training

The Training Institute is held at Middle Country Public Library, the national model for Family Place Libraries™, in Centereach, NY (Long Island). The four day Family Place Training begins on a Monday evening and ends on a Thursday afternoon.

October 21-24, 2024
Registration Deadline-  September 1st, 2024

March 3-6, 2025
Registration Deadline- February 1, 2025

Virtual Training

We are currently offering virtual trainings to existing Family Place Libraries. These trainings meet via Zoom and run two times per week for approximately 6 weeks. Our next virtual training begins Thursday, November 7, 2024. Registration deadline is Tuesday, October 1, 2024. For more information, please contact familyplace@mcplibrary.org 

Request Registration Information here.

Family Place Trainings

Most organized training I ever attended. Trainers were knowledgeable with the ability to infect us with their enthusiasm. I enjoyed every minute and feel as if I have received another degree!

- Librarian

The Family Place Training Institute

The four day Family Place Training Institute provides theoretical grounding in family-centered library services and practical training in the core components of Family Place. The Family Place Training Institute prepares participants to implement the initiative locally and provides a venue for librarians to share experiences and effective practices with one another.

Topics covered include:

  • Assets and needs assessment
  • Serving families and children through partnerships with other agencies
  • Community outreach to new and underserved families
  • Coalition building
  • Infant brain development
  • Child development
  • Emergent literacy
  • Parent engagement & education
  • The Parent-Child Workshop
  • Additional programming
  • Space design
  • Collection development
  • Marketing
  • Documentation and evaluation

All training participants receive a training manual, relevant books and articles to help implement the Family Place Libraries™ initiative. After completing the training, Family Place Libraries staff provides ongoing technical assistance and site support to all network libraries.

Family Place Institute