Browsing bins for little ones

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"I wanna do it!" This spirited declaration is familiar to parents of young children, who hourly navigate the balance between encouraging kids' confidence and the fact that the world isn't set up for toddlers and preschoolers to do much independently. One thing they couldn't do at Eugene Public Library: find their favorite picture books in alphabetical order filed in long ranges of library shelves.

To support those little learners and their grown-ups, staff have created a wall of browsing bins in the Children's Center at the Downtown Library. The bins make it fast and easy to locate and borrow picture books gathered by theme, on topics especially popular with these upcoming readers. With more than 3,500 copies of books representing 1,270 unique titles, the bins are always filled. 

Little kids love that this system is geared to their height, skills and tastes, with book covers facing forward in clear plastic containers. Their adults, especially on days when a library visit is in the middle of a long list of errands, appreciate the ability to get in and out quickly with an armful of new treats. Borrowers have racked up more than 48,000 checkouts of these books since the August 2023 launch of this service.

"Parents and caregivers have been thrilled from the first day we made these available," Early Literacy Librarian Rebecca Saxon said. "They're fun in the moment, and they also serve larger aims. The bins make it convenient and engaging for families to take home lots of books they're excited about.

"Research shows that young children who are familiar with books and reading, and who read with their grown-ups, are better prepared when they begin kindergarten," Saxon continued. "And that starting place makes a big difference to their future success in school and life."

The browsing bins are identified with colorful, child-friendly icons to represent the themes:

• Animals - from kittens to sharks and beyond
• Building Blocks - learning ABCs, counting, shapes
• Dinosaurs - need we say more?
• Famous Friends - favorite characters from shows and movies
• Growing - bodies, feelings, first time experiences from haircuts to school
• Interactive Play - featuring moving parts, textures, call and response activities
• Sparkle - glitter! unicorns! mermaids! rainbows!
• Things That Go - trucks, trains, cars, bikes and more

More topics to come include bedtime, fairytales, music and art and outdoors. In addition to these innovative browsing bins, the library continues to offer its enormous collection of picture books on bookshelves at all three locations: the Downtown Library, Bethel Branch and Sheldon Branch.