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.
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Photograph by Ruth Schaefer
Towson Library's Kid's Kingdom Castle Entrance
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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, Maryland began in May of 2001.
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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).
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Photograph by Ruth Schaefer
Towson Library's Kid's Kingdom Fireplace |
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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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Editor: eab
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