Parenting in today’s world can be a daunting task. The worries and challenges can undermine parents’ confidence in their ability to raise a child into successful adulthood. The economic downturn, weak educational systems, exposure to daily violence, social media influences, and more are all stresses that families commonly encounter. Yet we know that for families to thrive, parents must feel confident in their parenting skills and abilities. This confidence often comes from the support networks that are available to them. In many communities, these networks can be minimal or even non-existent. A significant amount of our library customers are recent immigrants, whose personal support system of family and friends are thousands of miles away. With Parent Café, our goal was to reduce their isolation and increase their connection to social support networks that strengthen families. 21st Century libraries have become community resource centers and have positioned themselves to create the supportive frameworks that can bolster parents to be their best. At the County of Los Angeles Public Library, we have provided this support through a philosophy of service to parents known as “Parents as Partners” and that together we can help grow healthier communities.

Each Parent Café was tailored for each community. Some participants prefer a more structured program with parenting discussions led by staff, while others are drawn to a more casual mix and mingle approach. Initially, the librarian facilitator would begin each Parent Café by asking the parent participants a question to spark interaction and discussion. (What are your hopes and dreams for your child? What is the biggest challenge you face as a parent? What resources do you rely upon in your community?) As the program series progressed, we found that parents got to know one another so well that they preferred to engage in their own conversations. They truly customized the program to their own needs and interests. A comfortable setting with plenty of refreshments helped create an environment that fostered discussion and built rapport among the participants, and the parents had the peace of mind that while they were enjoying adult conversation their children were nearby engaged in stimulating activities under the direction of a librarian. Outreach was critical to the success of the program. The standard in house flyers were distributed, but in addition staff also spent a significant amount of time calling and visiting local organizations that served families. They also visited schools and promoted Parent Café at other popular library programs attended by parents such as storytimes. Based on the needs and interests of the particular communities, some Parent Café programs featured health resource specialists who advised the parents on topics such as wellness and nutrition.

The library held 75 Parent Café programs with an estimated total attendance of 1000. The program was piloted at five of our community libraries as part of a grant received from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Parents who participated saw the Library as a willing partner and ally in their quest to grow a stronger and healthier family. The visiting resource specialists also allowed the parents to learn about other agencies that could help their families. For example, outreach workers in the Cal Fresh nutrition assistance program visited Parent Cafés to talk about benefits that may be available to help families stretch their food budgets. One of the most successful Parent Café programs took place at our Lynwood Library. Lynwood is a city with an 87 percent Hispanic population. In Lynwood, Parent Café evolved into “Family Café.” In many Hispanic communities, families are very close knit and prefer to not be separated during library programs. So together, without a separate children’s activity, parents and children would gather and socialize with other parents and children. The Lynwood Family Café featured festive potluck dinners, where residents made friends and broadened their support network and social circles. Soon, the parents themselves were stepping up as leaders and took over the coordination of the Family Café programs. Parent Café was a component of a project called Parents as Partners: Growing Stronger Families, and was recognized with a “Best Teamwork” Award at the 2013 County of Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Awards.