Children's Room Grand Reopening

Thanks to all the support from the Cranford community, we will be reopening our Children’s Department in its new and expanded space on Wednesday, July 22 at 2:00 PM!

Twice the size of the old space and filled with all new furnishings and technology, this bright and airy space will give our young visitors plenty to explore and enjoy. The large bright windows make a sunny space for learning at our new activity table. The new ceiling will not just look beautiful, but will dampen sound so our staff can do less shushing and encourage more fun.

This new room would not be possible without the support of the Township of Cranford, the State of New Jersey, and the Cranford Public Library Foundation’s Room to Read campaign. Special thanks to Senator Scutari, Assemblywoman Carter, Mayor Prunty and Commissioner Andrews for their support with this project!

Following the ribbon-cutting, children and their families can pass through the brightly colored balloons into an open space to join us for a musical program, a story event, and crafts. The theme for Summer Reading this year is Digging up Knowledge, so we will have a dinosaur theme for the day. We have a brand new scavenger hunt which will encourage adults and children to explore this amazing room together. 

The space is filled with a blend of blues and greens, helping distinguish the spaces designed for young people as they grow. The green area in the front of the room is geared for our youngest patrons with easy-to-use computers loaded with a variety of games in both English and Spanish. Children will be happily learning as they play. When it’s time to unplug, you can curl up in a reading nook with your child and read one of our many picture books together.

There will also be a dedicated section for tweens! The seating is patterned and shaped for our older children to serve their needs for a space to gather and study. We will have three new computers for them to use and improved Wi-Fi for them to access. There are tables for studying alone or together.

The party begins at 2:00 but will continue until the library closes at 9:00. We are having Zoophoria NJ bring living dinosaur descendants for a program at 7:00 PM. If you can’t make the ribbon cutting, please feel free to stop by anytime afterwards to see the new space for yourself. 

Our younger patrons are invited to bring their stuffed animals to the library on Tuesday, July 21 for the Teddy bears and other stuffies to enjoy a special sleepover in the new children’s room. Children may collect their stuffed friends anytime after the ribbon cutting. We look forward to your visits being able to inspire our children with a welcoming and comfortable space for learning and exploration.