GrandFamily Resource Centers

A partnership sponsored by the SC State Library

GrandFamily Resource Centers

New LSTA Project to Create 5 Resource Centers in SC

•Who: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren•What: Permanent Resource Collections & Program Support•Where: Public Libraries in 5 different counties who apply & meet criteria•Why: Identified need in the state

The Statistics

• 2.2 million children in the U.S. live in Grandparent headed households

• Nearly 100,000 children living in Grandparent-headed households (9.0% of all SC children)

• 55% of these grandparents are African American; 1% are Hispanic/Latino; and 42% are White.

• 72% are under the age of 60• 24% live in poverty

Project Overview

GrandFamily Resource Collections

￭ creates one location where services for grandparents raising their grandchildren are housed—library offers friendly, open environment

￭ Focuses on grandparents because the generation gap between grandparents and grandchildren is most significant

￭ Provides a collection of information, professional librarians to help seek other information, support groups and related programs

South Carolina State Library can assist public libraries in reaching out to identified underserved populations in order to go beyond the boundaries of traditional services

GrandFamily Resource Centers

Each Center includes:

• Permanent Resource Collection• Grandparents Chair

(“Grandparents Always Welcome at the Library”)

• GrandFamily Support Group—uses a national curriculum

• Staff Support & Community Partnership opportunities

Community Centered Libraries

Some programs already going on in South Carolina.

Centers are designed to work in partnership with local communities & bring library services into the fold of those who are helping to serve this population.

Impact

• Created through Dallas County KinCare Network and first collections located at Dallas Public Library

• Received local and national media attention• Garnered grant support and partnerships• Ongoing media coverage from local to national• Have received numerous requests for

information about building library partnerships to serve this constituency

• SCSL can provide a statewide model for replication

It Takes A Village

“Once the basic needs of these children are met, schools and public

libraries have an opportunity to support grandparents in the formal and information education of the

children in their care.”

Jan Watkins from Children and Libraries (2006)