LITTLE ROCK (KTHV) - Saturday brings the opening of a new $12 million children's library in Little Rock. And as THV 11's Max Seigle reports, it drew more than a thousand visitors and offers more than just books on the shelves.
Mom, Jasmine, and her 4-year-old son, Kobe, from Jacksonville spent part of their Saturday in Little Rock, enjoying the city's latest attraction for kids.
"I thought it was awesome, everything is so kid-friendly like the architecture of the buildings, I thought it was cool," Jasmine said.
And while we found the two spending time reading on Saturday, this mother and son quickly found out the stacks of books are just part of the package to enjoy here.
"We have a theater, we have a teaching kitchen, a green house and a teaching garden, so our services are going to incorporate all of those aspects of our library," Library Manager Sarah McClure said.
McClure says they hope to bring in special shows and movie days to the theater. And blend the experience in the green house and teaching garden with the teaching kitchen.
"So we're growing our own food and then we're going out to the kitchen and we're preparing it and teaching kids those valuable skills," McClure said.
The $12 million library sits along 10th Street in Little Rock's Midtown neighborhood. Back in 2007, voters approved a bond issue to fund the facility. Construction began in 2010.
"I think it helps the kids learn and actually grow, it teaches them what they'd like to do," Jasmine said.
It's a mom-approved package here, starting with the basics.
The library will be closed on Sunday but it will be back open on Monday at 10 a.m. That is just in time for Spring Break for Little Rock public school students.
The library manager says a dedicated children's library like this is unique across the country. She also believes that it has been about three years since the city's library system built its last facility in the Otter Creek area of Little Rock.