-Press Release, County of Granville

Young library patrons will soon be able to access the latest in technology with the ‘Playaway Launchpad,’ a secure, durable and easy-to-use learning tablet created especially for children.

The ‘Playaway’ is a brand of portable media players designed by Findaway World, LLC and is the only tablet of its kind intended for library circulation. Each device includes high-quality, ad-free learning applications grouped by age, grade level, subject area and theme. Tablets are interactive and are fun to explore, with subjects ranging from math and science to language learning and critical thinking. Themed learning packs include princesses, animals, transportation, dinosaurs, space and more, with each pack preloaded to hold at least 10 apps for hours of educational play.

“The ‘Playaway Launchpad’ is a big hit with other libraries,” Granville County’s Interim Library Director Will Robinson explained. “What we are working towards is digital literacy, starting at a young age. This tablet should be very popular with our Granville County kids and families.”

Each tablet has been built to last, with tough plastic cases and an easy-to-grip rubber bumper. Content has also been designed to last for three to five years, without a constant need for updating, so that the devices can be circulated for a longer period of time. While the “Playaway checkout policy” is still being developed, Robinson says, each family who checks out a tablet will be able to keep it for one week before its expected return date, with one renewal allowed per family – due to the limited number of devices initially available.

Robinson further explains that families will appreciate the continuous play feature the tablet offers. The battery lasts for 4.5 hours and is easily recharged through a wall charger or USB cord. It can even be charged in the car, adding more educational play time during long drives and family vacations.  Children using the tablet can also continue their learning fun while the device is charging.

“We are continuing to advance our technology,” Robinson noted. “We’re not just for books and magazines anymore. We know that children who use the library will grow into adults who use the library. That’s what we want to see.”

The Pew Center for Internet and American Life has done extensive research into how libraries are evolving, and how communities perceive libraries in the modern world.

“As more people pick up e-books instead of their ‘paper and glue’ predecessors, libraries are expanding to include digital literacy as well,” said Lee Rainie, executive director of the Pew Center for Internet and American Life. “It’s not just the well-off or tech-savvy that can tap into these pathways of knowledge. What people celebrate about libraries is that they are resources everyone gets access to.”

For more information about the ‘Playaway Launchpad’ and how to reserve one for your family, as well as other products, programs and services offered by the Granville County Public Library System, contact your local library in Oxford, Creedmoor, Stovall or Berea, or visit www.granville.lib.nc.us.