Youth Services
The Youth Services Department is a vibrant and whimsical space where young learners can explore, play, share, and grow. We curate curiosity in ages 0-18 with year-round programs, book suggestions, and information help. Come visit our story barn to play and explore. Do a scavenger hunt or work a puzzle. Use your imagination in creative role-play. Make a craft, color, or play checkers. We support literacy every day, especially through 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, 50 Books to Read in Kindergarten, Every Child Ready to Read, and school readiness programs. For Teens, grab a book, join TAB, attend Manga Club, play a game or hang with friends. Youth Services: where books are just part of the story!
For information on programs and storytimes, please contact the Youth Services Manager.
Library cards have no age requirement at SCPL! To obtain a library card for your child, please go to the Circulation Desk. Any child may obtain a card which is then linked to a parent card in our system.
Unattended Child Policy: Please do not leave your children unattended in the library. The library is a public place. For their safety, children under 12 must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver, age 16 or older, who will maintain eye contact with the children. Library staff are not considered in loco parentis. All children and their caregivers are subject to the library’s Public Conduct Policy.
Equipping your child to become an eager lifelong learner begins at birth. Our storytimes will model for you effective ways to share reading, music, and play-based learning that will greatly enhance your child’s early development. Come join us for stories, bouncing, singing, crafts and fun. No registration required.
Scott County Public Library Storytimes are typically hosted weekly and by age:
0-24 months Monday and Tuesdays at 9:30 AM
24-36 months Monday and Tuesdays at 10:30 AM
3-5+ years (International Family Storytime) Wednesday at 6:30 PM
3-5 years Preschool Storytime Thursdays at 10 and 11 AM
Flex Fridays allow us to offer unique programs for preschool children (we recommend ages 2-5y) like Storytime Yoga, Kids on the Move, Play Out Loud, seasonal celebrations, and paid performers! Programs are typically at 10 or 11AM on Friday mornings; please check our calendar each month for this special programming schedule. 
Children ages 6 & up can drop by the children's activity room most Wednesdays at 3:30pm. They will explore their creative sides with a new art or craft project each week. Children must be able to use scissors, glue, permanent markers, and paints on their own, and follow directions. Smocks will be provided when needed to protect clothing. From Matisse cut-outs to building paper sculptures, our Creative Kids program builds little artists. Please keep an eye on our calendar for other fun art programs like our annual book parties, character-themed events, and Thinkers Group(a special arts-intensive). Need more information? Email Yolanda@scottpublib.org 
Teens love coming to our library! Our Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meets monthly to plan programs for teens and allows for building social relationships and leadership skills. Any patrons 12-18 years old are encouraged to join. For more information, contact the Teen Librarian, Lauren@scottpublib.org. Please see the calendar for all teen events. 
Children ages 6-12 have plentiful opportunities to learn, know, gather, and grow at the Scott County Public Library. Check out our calendar of events for programs such as Books and Best Friends (1st and 3rd Saturdays), Creative Kids (Wednesdays), Tween Art (select Thursdays), Tween Crafternoons (select Fridays), Tween STEM Days (select Fridays), and more! And don’t forget that the library provides access to Tutor.com, which is available for free homework help from 2:00pm to midnight every day, as well as access to databases like Kentucky Virtual Library, Eric, ProQuest, and Encyclopedia Britannica. Contact the Youth Services manager or call (502) 863-3566 for more information.
Accelerated Reading (AR) programs, 40 Book Challenges, Battle of the Books…we've got you covered in Youth Services. Our online catalog provides lots of great information on our collection to help you find the perfect book. Or come in for a reader’s advisory chat with a librarian whenever we are open! Want eResources? Our website is open 24/7 for Hoopla, Overdrive, LIBBY, Lynda and much more. Check us out!
1,000 Books Read Before Kindergarten encourages reading at an early age. The goal is to have read 1,000 books before kindergarten. It takes patience, encouragement and lots of support from the family.
To get started, parents can keep track of all books read in methods such as, personal logs, Spreadsheet (Print PDF), or journals. When completed, turn in your sheet to the Youth Services to be recognized. The record of books your child has read can be a keepsake for them as they get older. The Scott County Public Library will recognize your child's achievement with books, a book bag, prizes, a certificate, and a picture to be posted on the website and social sites (with your consent) to honor their achievement.
So what are you waiting for? START READING!
Frequently Asked questions:
- Can you really expect to read 1,000 books to your child before kindergarten?
If you read only one bedtime story every night for three years you will have read: 365x3=1,095 books. If you read 10 books each week for two years, you will have read 1040. Just double that rate to do 1,000 books in one year. You can begin much earlier through, when your child is an infant! - Do we have to read books from the Scott County Public Library?
No, you can read books from anywhere. The goal is that READING is made an essential and expected part of a child's life.
I read the same book every night to my child. Can I count that book more than once?
Yes, write down the title each and every time you read the book. Repetition encourages learning narrative progression, but we encourage adding new and similar books for variety.- I have more than one child I read to. Can I count the same title for each child?
Yes, you can. If one of your older children reads to their sibling, you can count that also. - Can I count books that are read at Storytime?
Yes, just ask the youth services staff for the titles and the author's names. 
What about the books that my preschooler hears at school from the preschool teachers?
Yes, you can count those if they were read in their entirety and listened to all the way through.- My child has an electronic device that reads the story. Does that count?
As long as your child listens to the entire story. You can count it. - My child "reads" books to himself. Should I count those?
While it's great start to reading, if your child is only pretending to read, you shouldn't count it. If you child has memorized a book you read together recently and can read it themselves, then go ahead and count it.
If you have further questions about this program, please email the Youth Services Manager at: Roseann@scottpublib.org.
Young readers are invited to "bone up" on their reading skills by reading to certified therapy dogs. Recommended for ages is 4-12 years old; and children and adults with disabilities are welcome. Please speak with the Pawsibilities Unleashed representative for special accommodations or programming, or get more details from the Youth Services Manager.
Every First and Third Saturdays of the month at 2:00pm, Pawsibilities Unleashed brings certified and insured therapy dogs to the library for an hour of relaxation with some good books and you!
The Library has all kinds of KITS that patrons can check-out and enjoy. Youth Services provides the following types of KITS which can be checked out for three weeks at a time:
ART Kits: Located in the J740 shelves, these kits will teach children how to create art like Eric Carle, Ezra Jack Keats, Leo Lionni, Denise Fleming, and more.
Science Kits: Located in tubs above the J500 shelves, these kits include a volcano, the human body, Boom Whackers, magnifiers and more.
STAR Kits: with over 80 to choose from, these kits come packed with books, DVDs, toys and a binder filled with craft ideas, songs to sing, and fingerplays to try. Some favorite kits are Dinosaurs; Mo Willems; My New Sibling; Dentist; Scaredy Squirrel; Llama Llama, and Pete the Cat for the preschool set. For School-aged children we have kits on Dragons, Pirates, Fibonacci Numbers and more.
Bilingual Game Kits: from Shapes and Patterns, to Critters, Counting, and Dressing Yourself, these self-contained bag kits are bilingual Eng/Spa and easy to play with the family.
Experience Kits: from learning to knit, play D&D or Magic the Gathering, to making a Darth Vader birthday cake (pan included!), we have kits to provide your family with a whole new experience. Not sure if you want to buy that board game? Try it out now from the library!
Summer Reading is for all ages! Every June – August, we celebrate summer with books, programs, crafts, and great prizes. The theme this year is “Imagine Your Story,” and we will celebrate all things Fairy Tales, Mythology, Legends, and Imagination.