Find Your Space in Betty's Place

@ the Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library

Children are in for a treat when they enter the new Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library. The Children’s Department takes up half of the first floor and is a welcoming environment for young library customers.   There are rockets on the walls and a comet on the carpet as well as stars, moons and planets on all of the kid-sized furniture.   From the colorful stuffed animal floor cushions to the interactive preschool toys, children will know that this area is created for them.

The children’s area is named Betty’s Place as a tribute to Betty Ulrich, Freeman Library’s founding librarian.   Betty, a local school librarian started the Freeman library in a small room in the Clear Lake City Recreation Center in 1964.   Betty is now retired from school librarianship but volunteers regularly at the Freeman Branch.

Betty’s Place houses a collection of books, magazines, and audio for children from birth to preteen.   Children can use one of the 18 computers in this area for Internet access or word processing.   There is a Children’s Activity Room with a full kitchen and toddler toilets.   This room will be used for storytimes, crafts, movies and other children’s programs.   The mural in this room was created by Clear Lake High School students with portraits of astronauts by Richard Wood.

There are 10 staff members dedicated to the children’s department allowing the library to increase their in-house programming and their visits to local schools and day cares.