Keep Los Altos Children's Library for Reading/Learning, not Playing
The Issue
Los Altos Library has proposed installing a large playground structure that will take up at least 33-40% of the space (if not more) in the small children's area of the library, cost thousands of dollars, and result in far less desks for students to do homework and study with tutors, less reading spaces, less shelving for children’s books, and more noise.
We urge Los Altos Library to cancel this installation.
Children's spaces at other SCCLD Libraries are far bigger than the children's section of Los Altos Library, so while the play structures may fit in those libraries, they have no place at the children's section of Los Altos Library.
In Los Altos and nearby Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Campbell, Saratoga, and San Jose, reading scores have dropped over the past decade. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html
As such, children need now more than ever to be exposed to books. They need to do actual reading, rather than being distracted at the library via a play structure.
The money being used to build a playground structure could be better allocated to:
- buy more children's books
- have librarians host more book clubs where kids can have robust discussion and participate in fun activities related to their reading
- host more shows (e.g., magic shows, reptile shows, etc.), STEAM workshops, classes like carpentry, or a Maker Space
- organize a volunteer program where adults or high school students read books to kids in a 1:1 ratio
Stimulating imagination, creativity and wonder is what will help students want to read more. Where is the evidence that shows that playground structures in libraries improve literacy or increase the amount of reading for kids at an early age?
Libraries are for learning and reading. Playgrounds are for playing. If families want to visit a play structure, there are plenty of playgrounds at parks and schools in Los Altos. Children learn to become readers by reading.
The cost of this new play structure is extreme-- financially and space-wise, and will result in the loss of things that actually support literacy (namely, access to books, places to read them, and desks for learning/studying).
Please do not install the play structure at Los Altos Library's children's section.
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The Issue
Los Altos Library has proposed installing a large playground structure that will take up at least 33-40% of the space (if not more) in the small children's area of the library, cost thousands of dollars, and result in far less desks for students to do homework and study with tutors, less reading spaces, less shelving for children’s books, and more noise.
We urge Los Altos Library to cancel this installation.
Children's spaces at other SCCLD Libraries are far bigger than the children's section of Los Altos Library, so while the play structures may fit in those libraries, they have no place at the children's section of Los Altos Library.
In Los Altos and nearby Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Campbell, Saratoga, and San Jose, reading scores have dropped over the past decade. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html
As such, children need now more than ever to be exposed to books. They need to do actual reading, rather than being distracted at the library via a play structure.
The money being used to build a playground structure could be better allocated to:
- buy more children's books
- have librarians host more book clubs where kids can have robust discussion and participate in fun activities related to their reading
- host more shows (e.g., magic shows, reptile shows, etc.), STEAM workshops, classes like carpentry, or a Maker Space
- organize a volunteer program where adults or high school students read books to kids in a 1:1 ratio
Stimulating imagination, creativity and wonder is what will help students want to read more. Where is the evidence that shows that playground structures in libraries improve literacy or increase the amount of reading for kids at an early age?
Libraries are for learning and reading. Playgrounds are for playing. If families want to visit a play structure, there are plenty of playgrounds at parks and schools in Los Altos. Children learn to become readers by reading.
The cost of this new play structure is extreme-- financially and space-wise, and will result in the loss of things that actually support literacy (namely, access to books, places to read them, and desks for learning/studying).
Please do not install the play structure at Los Altos Library's children's section.
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Petition created on August 27, 2026