West Regional Library In Scott Serves Families Beyond Books

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - I recently visited the West Regional Library in Scott because my son is doing a research paper on how and why people utilize public libraries in Lafayette Parish, and I am glad I took the tour with him through the facility.

I won't lie, before we arrived, I thought we'd see only a handful of people in the library because I thought people just don't go to the library anymore, but I was wrong.

When we arrived shortly after 3 pm on a weekday, I was surprised to see how many vehicles were in the parking lot. As we entered the building, I was quickly reminded that people still use libraries, and they're for more than just reading books.

I don't know when you last visited a public library, but the library in Scott is very nice and very modern. No, this library doesn't look like the library you visited in the 80s or even the 90s.

As soon as we were greeted, I couldn't help but notice a line of computer stations, where some people were researching and even printing documents. Then there were the kids' computer stations; some were playing games, while others were watching viral videos.

When we explained why we were visiting the library, the manager offered to give us a tour of the facility, and that's when I learned that people were there for more than just reading or playing games on the computers.

The West Regional Library in Scott has several study rooms where kids can complete assignments or just do homework. As we toured the library, a few study areas were unoccupied, but that quickly changed.

Within 10 minutes of my son and me touring the facility, parents and kids filled all the study rooms. In that moment, it hit me: parents use the library in Scott after school to help their kids with homework and other assignments. By visiting the library, parents can keep their kids in an environment with limited distractions, and all the resources they may need are just a few feet away.

I'll say this: not only was every study room occupied, but several tables were also occupied by parents and their kids after school. For me, it was eye-opening to see how many parents and kids go to the library to complete their schoolwork, and it's great that the library has so much natural light, which makes the atmosphere way more upbeat and lively than an average house or home.

I'm sharing my visit with you because I want you to know people are using public libraries for much more than checking out books and DVDs. Hey, there's even a play area for the really young kids to put on a puppet show in Scott.

Let me end my story with this: I highly encourage you to visit this library in Scott, or other libraries in Lafayette Parish, to see how much the parish has invested in our kids. Often we are critical of local government, and that's understandable, but let's also applaud them when they provide facilities such as these for our future.

Here's a peek inside the library in Scott, off of Apollo Road. What a welcoming facility for families in Lafayette Parish.

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Gallery Credit: TSM Lafayette

Source: Parents and Kids Utilize Lafayette Library For More Than Just Reading