From LEGOs to Bilingual Children’s Books at Pierre Moran Branch

By: Krystal Keagle

Our journey exploring each branch of the Elkhart Public Library is now complete, as Maya and I recently visited the Pierre Moran branch.

I told Maya we were going someplace fun, but kept it vague. As soon as we pulled into the library, she spotted the iconic blue roof and exclaimed, “It’s a new library, Mom!”

Pierre Moran branch sits on Benham Avenue, between a neighborhood and the Pierre Moran shopping plaza. Like other branches, you enter a beautiful atrium with a high ceiling, stunning light fixture, and cozy fireplace.

We walked past the meeting rooms to the children’s section. I appreciate that the children’s area sits far from the adult section, making it less distracting when kids are inevitably noisy.

Maya chose a coloring page and went to town. She loves selecting a crayon, coloring for 3 seconds with it, and then moving on to a new color.

After coloring, Maya headed to her all-time favorite library feature: the LEGO DUPLO table. At Pierre Moran, the table sits right in front of full-length windows, providing plenty of sunshine and great views outside. On this day, it felt a bit chilly outside, so the sunshine was really nice. In the summer, we could enjoy a picnic lunch at one of the outdoor tables before heading inside to enjoy sunshine and air conditioning.

I helped Maya build towers for a little while before browsing the shelves for books. Pierre Moran serves many Spanish speakers, and I was delighted to see numerous Spanish and Spanish/English books available. I selected a bilingual Elephant and Piggie book to take home for Maya. We don’t speak Spanish fluently, but I think exposing kids to multiple languages is a good idea, even if you do it imperfectly.

One of my favorite things about the Elkhart Public Library is its diverse collection. I’ve found every book I’ve ever searched for, including nonfiction. You can request delivery to your nearest branch for easy pickup — it’s so convenient!

In the children’s section at each branch, a special shelf holds all the board books, plus various children’s books that fit the season. This makes it easy to explore different books and discover seasonal options you might not know about, without searching through all the shelves.

While exploring books, I kept an eye on Maya as she built with LEGOs — but at one point, I focused on reading a book for a few minutes and didn’t notice Maya had changed activities. When I looked up, she was no longer in the children’s section.

I heard a giggle nearby and followed the sound to a small meeting area near the children’s section. Maya lay half on a chair and half on a table, coloring gleefully. She had taken an entire crayon box from the children’s section and two coloring pages with her.

Toddlers can be so sneaky!

We colored together, returned the crayon box to the children’s section, and checked out our books. While checking out, I noticed Pierre Moran also runs a weekly scavenger hunt for kids. We needed to leave for nap time, but I plan to take Maya back soon for a scavenger hunt. What a fun way to explore the library!

Our journey to visit every branch of the Elkhart Public Library may be complete, but we’ll continue visiting the various branches.

I encourage everyone to visit their nearest EPL location. You’ll find great books and movies, relaxing fireplaces, and useful meeting rooms.

If you have kids, rotate between multiple branches! Each location offers fun activities that entertain your children, provide socialization opportunities, and expose them to books — all for free. You won’t find a better deal or a better place for the whole family.

Don’t forget to check out our adventures at the Downtown, Cleveland, Osolo, and Dunlap branches.

What’s your favorite EPL branch to visit with your kiddos? Tell me about it in the comments on the Elkhart Public Library’s Facebook page.