family will receive a personal collection of books in the hopes of encouraging the habit and love of lifelong reading .
WASH , READ , REPEAT !
A partnership between United Way of West Alabama , University of Alabama , and Tuscaloosa Public Library , Wash , Read , Repeat ! seeks to meet the community where they are by encouraging “ children and families to engage in reading and literacy activities while completing a weekly family chore — laundry .” This program began in January 2022 with the creation of little libraries and weekly storytimes in two local laundromats : Laundry Express and West End Laundry . This fall , TPL is excited to announce that storytimes will return ! Beginning Thursday , September 8 , at 4:30 p . m ., you can catch your favorite TPL storytime crew at Laundry Express . Each week for 11 weeks , librarians will share a Spanish , bilingual storytime filled with songs and a fun craft . As TPL Youth Services Manager , Haley Bryant , says , “ This program is an opportunity to build greater connections with members of our community and show those that attend that the Library will always be a resource .”
LAB-TO-GO
An expansion of TPL ’ s Tinkertub program and a service of TPL ’ s Edna Turner Learning Lab , the Lab-To-Go program provides teachers , librarians , and other service organizations with the opportunity to engage in hands-on STEAM and technology learning . Organizations can schedule a session with TPL staff , who provide the materials , curriculum , and hands-on assistance to experience a more complex STEAM project than the Tinkertubs alone provide . In addition , school librarians and teachers can still check out Tinkertubs , which include all the supplies and instructions needed for elementary and middle school students to complete a fun and interactive STEAM project on their own . The Learning Lab also offers Tech Camp and Tech Tour , programs designed with homeschool groups and school field trips in mind . Tech Camp is an in-depth tutorial on a specific STEAM topic of the teacher ’ s choice that takes place at the Learning Lab ( located at TPL ’ s main location ). Tech Tour includes an in-depth STEAM activity catered to the interest of the visiting group as well as a Library tour . For a more free-form experience , the Learning Lab also offers Teen Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 p . m ., giving preteens and teens access to explore all of the Learning Lab ’ s resources , including 3D printing , robotics , interactive gaming and more !
Community involvement is what drives Tuscaloosa Public Library , and it remains at the heart of all we have to offer . We want to connect with you , giving everyone in the Tuscaloosa community the chance to read , learn , and grow .
Check the TPL ’ s website and social media accounts for updates and information about all of our programming and services . www . tuscaloosa-library . org www . facebook . com / Tuscaloosa-Public-Library www . facebook . com / TPLweaver www . facebook . com / TPLAdultServices https :// www . facebook . com / TPL _ Teen www . instagram . com / tpl _ books www . instagram . com / tplkids www . instagram . com / tpl _ teen www . instagram . com / tpl _ weaver
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