Hello again, friends! My favorite part of living at the Carter is hopping around, looking for new and exciting things. The other day, I peeked into the Library and noticed a whole shelf of new, colorful books, set at just the right height for my paws to reach! My tail twitched and I bounced with excitement. I burst through the door, ready to explore and . . . I think I may have startled the grown-ups reading in the quiet research center, choosing books from the shelves, and studying old letters from the Archives. They all jumped a foot in the air when they heard me shout with excitement. Oops!

One of the friendly librarians, Ms. Croley, came up to me and said, “Howdy, Prickles! I’m so glad you stopped by. I’ve noticed you peeking through the door and wanted to show you the new Family Library we’ve put together! We now have lots of books that jackalopes like you and children can read on their own or with their families when they come visit the Museum. We have lots of books all about art and artists, especially those who have work in our collection. These books are also full of stories about children from different cultures all around the country!"

"Now, when we’re in the Library, we need to remember that it’s important to be quiet and respectful of the other people reading around us. I know that this is very exciting, but when visiting we need to try keep all of our wiggles to ourselves so we can enjoy reading all of these stories. I would love for you to tell all your friends about our new Family Library so that everyone can come and learn more about art!" Ms. Croley told me I could choose any book I wanted and curl up in a comfy me-sized chair to look at the pictures and read. It’s hard to control my wiggles when I’m excited, but I noticed that if I tapped my toes on the ground softly, or wiggled my paws in the air, or slowly stretched my legs, I could stay quiet and calm while I read. And when I wanted to ask a question or share an idea, I could use my inside voice, or even write a note!

I liked looking at books about photography and the National Parks, but my favorite find of the day was a special pop-up book, with pictures that jump up off the page. Ms. Croley said this fragile book is similar to some of the rare books in the Library’s collection, and she showed me how to read it carefully so that I didn’t rip any pages. And do you know what? The Family Library books cover the same topics as the rest of the Library. So, I can visit the Family Library and pick a board book about an artist, and Ms. Croley can show me other books in the Library that have pictures of that artist’s paintings or photographs in them!

Oh, boy! I just can’t wait to come back and read every book in the collection. I hope you’ll come to visit soon!

Things to remember when visiting the Family Library:

• Use your inside voice and be respectful of other readers in the Library.
• Food is not allowed in the Library. You may have sealed drinks, like sippy cups.
• Ask your friendly librarians and archivists for help finding books.
• Keep your eye out for new books and family events that may be happening in the Library.