The Allen County Public Library has debuted a new youth engagement space built especially for fourth through sixth graders at the Main Library downtown. The Hive, opened on Tuesday, October 15 and is the first of its kind at the ACPL. It is located in the Children’s Services Department and is an interesting and developmentally appropriate alternative to the popular early learning StoryScape space next door.
The Hive includes play interactives, furniture, board games, computers, and other features that develop deductive reasoning, reading comprehension, and math skills for upper elementary-aged youth. It also includes educational items disguised as entertainment.
“With this age group, we’re building on the foundations of early literacy to develop problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and experimentation skills,” said Children’s Services Manager Rachael King. “They don’t realize it, but when they’re playing a video game, they’re actually developing team building skills. And when they build with Legos, they’re laying the foundations for engineering. Learning and fun don’t have to be separate endeavors and The Hive is designed to accomplish both in tandem!”
The space will rotate activities regularly and put books at the center with a little free library bookshelf provided by a Book Rich Environment grant. It will also host upper elementary programming. According to King, the space is expected to be a bustling hub of activity, collaboration, and community, much like a beehive. Hence the name – The Hive.
The project addresses key goals of the ACPL’s 2024-28 strategic plan “Allen County’s Window to Lifelong Learning and Discovery including: designing functional, friendly spaces and creating spaces for more age-appropriate STEM exploration through self-directed programming. It also embodies three of the ACPL’s organizational values: literacy and learning, people-first service, and inclusion and belonging. The space was funded through Library gift funds earmarked for the Children’s Services department.
The Hive is open during normal library hours. All activities are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.acpl.info.
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