Don’t Forget the Dads!: Creating Father-Centric Programming

Abstract

While youth service librarians are dedicated to ensuring youth of all ages benefit from programming, there has been little to no focus on engaging fathers in public library youth programming. A range of services from in-person and virtual storytime1 to tutoring, workshops, and college preparation strive to promote literacy, learning, family bonding, and community well-being.2 However, recent events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to ban books focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion, have challenged library workers to ensure that all populations feel welcome in public library spaces.