The Ohio Department of Health, in partnership with Ohio Breastfeeding Alliance, has launched the Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Award Program to recognize Ohio businesses that offer lactation support to their employees.

In order for workplaces to apply for the award they must have a breastfeeding policy established, offer break time to employees to pump in the workplace, and have space that is private, accessible, comfortable, and not a bathroom for nursing employees’ use.

As part of this program, the Delaware County District Library recently completed an audit of our facilities by the Delaware Public Health District. The Delaware County District Library is proud to be a space that is welcoming to all individuals and families, no matter their needs.

The new Liberty Branch Library, located at 7468 Steitz Road, goes above and beyond compliant work standards, and also offers a dedicated mothers/sensory room. It is located adjacent to the children’s area on the first floor, and includes comfortable seating, power outlets, a sink, a changing table, and plenty of space in case the parent has multiple children who need to be in the space with them while they are nursing or pumping.

The Orange Branch Library, located at 7171 Gooding Boulevard, also has a dedicated space near the front café of the library for both patron and staff use if private pumping or nursing is needed. Due to the nature of this room’s location, a sound machine is also available to help mask any additional noise and create a more intimate environment for the parent and child.

Upon the completion of the library’s assessment, the Delaware Public Health Department provided the library with some needed updated equipment, a nursing chair and the aforementioned sound machine. Library locations in Delaware, Powell, and Ostrander also have available locations for staff to meet Break Time for Nursing Mothers law requirements, but we are continuing to strive for excellence for our public, as well.

We look forward to our continued partnership with DPHD and ODH to support employee lactation needs, and also provide comfortable environments for our patrons and their family needs.

Picture books are great for young readers to entertain themselves while a parent is busy. See if one of these needs to come with you during your next trip to the library!

• “In the Night Garden” by Carin Berger. An elegant, evocative bedtime story that takes readers on a winding path through the outdoors at dusk, guided by a black cat. Delicate cut-paper collage art uses found items and layers of differing patterns, creating a lively backdrop for the spare, soothing text.

• “The Skull” by Jon Klassen. A deliciously eerie reimagining of a Tyrolean folktale about Otilla, a young runaway who befriends a talking skull in a remote old castle. Pick it up for strikingly minimalist art, deadpan humor, a poignant friendship, and a warmhearted heroine with nerves of steel. Jon Klassen fans who appreciate the subtle menace of his Hat trilogy or the quiet suspense of The Rock from the Sky, as well as any readers who relish the macabre.

• “See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See” by David LaRochelle; illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. The titular characters from See the Cat and See the Dog return for several laugh-out-loud encounters with mischievous invisible characters (visible only via their speech bubbles). The story is told in three short chapters, each featuring easy-to-read words in a beginner-friendly format. Reading the words independently and understanding the more sophisticated visual humor may give new readers a sense of accomplishment.

• “Martina Has Too Many Tías” by Emma Otheguy; illustrated by Sara Palacios. In this riff on the Caribbean folktale of La Cucaracha Martina, little Martina escapes the sensory overload of a visit from her exuberant tías by embarking on a magical journey. For fans of the sweet, silly intersection of familial love and need for personal space in Vera Brosgol’s “Leave Me Alone!” or Adam Rex’s “Oh No, the Aunts Are Here.”

• “Why Did the Monster Cross the Road?” by R.L. Stine; illustrated by Marc Brown. Starring Hunny, a spiky monster who’s feeling down-and-out, and Funny, a google-eyed monster determined to crack jokes until the unamused Hunny cracks as well – a smile. Depicted in textured, hilariously yucky collage art, the monsters are just plain fun to look at, eye-rolling punchlines and all. Written by legendary Goosebumps author R.L. Stine and illustrated by beloved Arthur creator Marc Brown, this book is sure to be in demand both before and after spooky season.

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!