What is The Resource Place?
The Resource Place, including the Reusable Resource Center, offers teachers,
child care professionals, home care providers and anyone else caring for young
children a convenient outlet for ideas and materials - a place where you’ll find
it all under one roof. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about spending a lot
of money for these items, because The Resource Place isn’t a store. It’s a
comprehensive lending library where you can get not only children’s books,
manipulatives and other early childhood learning materials, but director/teacher
resource books, curriculum kits, video and audio tapes, periodicals, and
computer software. In short, almost anything and everything you could need. You
even have access to special equipment such as copiers, die-cutting, laminating
and button machines. It’s an exceptionally diverse and complete resource center:
a comprehensive media center and lending library focusing entirely on early
childhood education
How Does It Work?
At the Resource Place, instead of buying it, you borrow it - because it's
designed to be used exactly like a library - a place where you can obtain
information, borrow various materials for s specified period of time, and even
pay a late fee if you borrow them for too long.
Like a library, materials can be checked out for a period of four weeks by members who have a borrower's
card. Memberships are available not only to child care providers, but to
all community members who have need of early childhood resources. Members
may borrow up to ten items per checkout period. Materials are tracked via
bar codes and scanners, and are cross-referenced according to type of item, age
appropriateness, subject matter, etc. In this way, users of the Resource
Place will find it easy to access the right materials for a particular group of
children or a particular subject matter.
The Reusable Resource Center
The Reusable Resource Center at The Resource Place is the exception to the rule:
rather than a lending library, it is an outlet for those everyday items, raw
materials, and by-products (all of which have been donated by area
companies) which are so invaluable when it comes to equipping an early-care
and education setting with materials to encourage creativity and
problem-solving skills.
Some of the materials you’ll find here include: adhesives and tape, samples of wallpaper and carpeting,
transistors, circuit boards, computer parts, fabrics and felt, paper of all
types, foam, packaging materials, metal nuts, bolts, washers, springs, etc.,
pens, pencils and markers, plastics and vinyl, wood (including dowels),
yarn, string and thread.
The Cutter's Corner
The Cutter’s Corner, located in the Resource Place, has equipment and supplies for all of your die-cutting
and laminating needs. There are over 500 die-cuts available in several sizes. Bulletin board paper is also
offered in many colors. Large and small laminators are accessible for use at reasonable costs. A button maker
and cutting machines are also on hand for your special projects. The space provides plenty of room for spreading
out and working on classroom projects.
With so many different things from which to choose, you will always be able to find something new and wonderful to bring
back to your early childhood environment. All it takes is a little
imagination. The Resource Place staff will be happy to offer suggestions on
activities for utilizing these materials (some interesting examples are on
display), but please keep in mind that these materials are intended to allow
children to express their own imaginations! Bags of various items are
available for a suggested donation of only 25 cents per pound.
