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Kid's KingdomTowson Library's Kid's
Kingdom
| Customers approaching the
children's area of the Towson Library see first the "stone" walls and
turrets of a castle. As they pass through the castle entrance the
children's area opens up before them. Inside, the castle wall provides
stairs upward for a view over the wall; below, a hideaway
The Kid's Kingdom came about not
by magic but by hard work. The Towson Library was given a grant from the
Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library to create a children's area
that would become a model for the library system and be a favorite
destination of parents and children. |
 |
|
Photograph
by Ruth Schaefer
Towson Library's Kid's
Kingdom Castle Entrance
|
After conducting customer surveys and
research, the theme of an enchanted castle was selected. Rubeling and
Associates, a Towson architectural firm, lent their expertise to help plan
the castle facade and layout. The faux finish concept was created by The
Valley Craftsman of Baltimore. With additional funds from The
Friends of
the Towson Library, construction by Hayes Construction of Phoenix, MD
began in May of 2001.
 |
Volunteers from the Bykota House, Towson's Senior
Center, built a fireplace
with bookcases on either side which provides a cozy area for
storytelling and other gatherings.
With the consent of children's
author/illustrator, Gail Gibbons, the multi-cultural dragons she created
in Behold...the Dragon (1999) were brought to life by local artist
Sydney Hopkins. They adorn the walls of the Kid's Kingdom. To complete our
theme of diversity, Hopkins also rendered a West African Bobo dancer taken
from African Ceremonies Volume 2 (1999). |
Photograph by
Ruth Schaefer
Towson Library's Kid's Kingdom Fireplace |
|
A special baby play area was
created for children under 3 years and enhanced by a quilt created and
sewn by librarian, Mary Hinkle. Using the dragon from the 1998 Baltimore County Public Library
Summer Reading Club, Tom Sollers created a baby friendly dragon named
"Spike". The grand opening of the "Kid's Kingdom" took
place October 13, 2001 with crowns for all the children, stories and a
puppet show, "The Reluctant Dragon".
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Baltimore County
Public Library, Towson Maryland USA
Last Revised:
12 December 2008
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