If you are looking for an activity for your preschool child, check out the Early Childhood Learning Centers in all Redwood City Public Libraries – Downtown, Fair Oaks, Redwood Shores, and Schaberg.
In 2010 David Genesy, then Redwood City Library Director, enlisted RCLF to help create safe spaces in libraries for families. The Burgeon Group, a firm dedicated to interactive learning spaces in public libraries, was selected to design installations in the four libraries. The group worked with Redwood City Library staff for almost 10 years to complete the centers and to incorporate elements of the community into each one.
The centers at the Downtown and Redwood Shores Libraries were completed first; the Baby Bay center in the Downtown Library was finished in 2015. The Fair Oaks and Schaberg installations opened in 2018. All centers are sturdy, safe, and interactive. They require little maintenance and minimal supervision by library staff, and interchangeable panels facilitate repair and updating.
Each center fits the space and culture of that particular library branch. In the Downtown, Fair Oaks, and Schaberg Libraries, labels are in English and in Spanish; in the Redwood Shores Library, labels are in English and Mandarin Chinese. The Downtown Library Baby Bay promotes reading, playing, talking, and singing with babies and toddlers. The Fair Oaks center is shaped like a Farmers Market Truck to promote healthy eating. The Schaberg Library, with limited floor space, uses transparent lenses as windows. In the Redwood Shores Library, windows were left unobstructed to maintain views of the wetlands. A heartfelt thank you to RCLF board members and volunteers for making it possible to have a unique installation at each library. The children in our community can have a variety of experiences by visiting each location.
