Family Resource Library

What is the Family Resource Library?

The library provides an extensive collection of books, magazines, pamphlets and videotapes on topics from coping with chronic illness and hospitalization to parenting skills and child development.

In addition to consumer health services, the Family Resource Library has children's recreational literature for our patients' reading pleasure. We believe that stories do more than merely divert children's minds. They allow children to learn about themselves and their problems in a way which enables them to feel comforted, supported, strengthened, and understood. And so, just like the inscription over the door to the ancient Greek library at Thebes, we hope to be a "healing place of the soul".

The Library is open from 10:00 am - 4:00pm M-F. Although our services are primarily for patients and their families, we are open to the public for research purposes (check-out is reserved for those associated with the Hospital.) Located on the third floor of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, the Family Resource Library offers patients and families the opportunity to explore and learn about health, illness, feelings, and many other topics of interest. It is a place to seek comfort through reading or being read to, or to find refuge from the demands of hospital life.

Why should I go to the Family Resource Library?

• To understand and cope with illness and hospitalization
• To learn more about my child's health
• To help family members learn how to help the patient and themselves
• To learn more about the human body
• To find recreational reading for children, adolescents and adults.

Volunteer opportunities at the Family Resource Library include:

• Bedside Volunteeers - This service takes Library resources bedside. Volunteers take videos and books to patient rooms, read stories or just visit with families. This service is offered Sun - Fri, 6-8 pm and Sat from 10-12 noon.
• Clinic Readers - This service, affectionately known as our "Grandparent Squad", sends volunteers to our six day clinic waiting rooms to read and play with children. This service is offered Mon - Fri from 10-12 noon or from 1-3 pm.
• Staffing Volunteers - Assist in daily operations of the Library, checking media in and out on the computer; shelving media; assist patrons in search for medical information. Hours: Mon-Fri 10-1 pm or 1-4 pm.
• Storytellers - Tell stories to patients on Wednesdays, 10:30 - 11:00 am.

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