Spring programs at the Waterdown library are slated to begin on March 29, following March Break. Parents and their children are encouraged to drop in and participate in weekly events, which include baby and family story time.

Baby time, which was introduced to local families last fall, has proven to be a very popular program, noted Karen Peter, Waterdown’s former library branch manager. “It was important to introduce parents to the library...to showcase what the library has to offer,” said Peter.

The program, devised specifically for babies between the ages of 0 and 23 months, includes songs, movement, simple picture books, puppets, music and rhymes.

For older children, a family story time is offered twice weekly, which sometimes sees up to 40 children in attendance. The program, better suited for children between the ages of two and five, also includes songs and introduces toddlers and pre-school-aged children to action rhymes and finger plays. The program, noted Peter, promotes the importance of families reading together and encourages early learning.

“It’s a nice opportunity for people to come into the library. They get a chance to meet their neighbours and fellow parents, and for children to meet others in the community,” said Peter, who currently manages the HPL’s Terryberry branch.

Previously, programs at the Waterdown library were only available to families who registered for the weekly events. Transitioning to a drop-in format allows busy families to come in and participate in the program when it is convenient, still allowing regular patrons to enjoy the story times on a weekly basis.

Hoping to draw attention to the HPL’s newly revamped website, Peter described the library’s online space as a great place for people, young and old, to learn about the services offered at their local branch.

The site also features great resources for parents and allows library-goers the opportunity to order their preferred reading materials, which are made available for pick-up at their local branch.

Parents looking for the coolest volumes to pique their children’s interest should look no further than the site’s books and stories, which offers book reviews. The site also highlights newly released books, CDs and Blu-Ray discs intended for children.

Keeping up with technology’s fast pace, the Hamilton Public Library features a digital catalogue of e-Audiobooks and e-books, which can be downloaded to portable devices, such as iPods and Sony Readers.

The catalogue of e-Audiobooks is specifically designed to cater to kids and teen’s reading preferences.

“The website is quite amazing and there is a wealth of information,” said Peter.

For additional information on the HPL’s online resources, visit www.hpl.ca. Spring programming starts on March 29 and runs until May 17 at the Waterdown branch. Baby time is slated for Mondays at 11:15 a.m., while drop-in family story time is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Mondays and 10:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Mill Street North facility.

Drop-in family story time is available at other library branches in Flamborough, including the Carlisle and Lynden branches.

For more information about HPL services, visit www.hpl.ca.