By Brenda Erdahl
The Maple Lake Library’s littlest patrons will find it easier than ever to pick out a good book thanks to their new forward facing bookshelves.
This spring, the library board approved giving away two of their 12-foot bookshelves in the children’s corner and replacing them with six new forward facing bookshelves. The new bookshelves are not only lower to the ground, to accommodate children’s smaller height, they display books in such a fashion that children are better able to see the covers and be inspired.
Studies have proven the effectiveness of forward facing bookshelves to encourage children to make independent decisions, act without parental intervention, recognize familiar images, develop their own tastes, cultivate organizational skill and inspire a love of reading and appreciation of books.