Library expands kids’ tablet offerings

The Hoover Public Library has expanded the number of Playaway Launchpad tablets it has available for children to check out, thanks to a federal grant and city funding, library officials said.

The Launchpads are tablets especially designed for youth ages 3-10 and are pre-loaded with ad-free apps that are designed to be fun and educational. They feature learning packs with themes such as animals, princesses, fantasy and nature, and help kids with math and science content, critical thinking and creativity.

The apps are grouped by subject area, themes, grade levels and age, making it easy for parents and kids to choose a tablet with the content most appealing to them, library officials said. 

Every Launchpad is 100 percent secure, providing hours of interactive learning and play without the risk of exposure to unintended content, according to library staff.

The Launchpads have a 7-inch high-definition touch screen, external speaker and a durable, protective bumper. No Internet connectivity or downloading is required, and the console allows parents and educators to get feedback about time spent on the tablet.

The Hoover Public Library has offered Launchpads for checkout since 2015, but a $25,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences to the public libraries in Jefferson County allowed for the purchase of 10 more tablets for Hoover and expansion of the service to most libraries in the county, library officials said. 

The Hoover library also used money from the city of Hoover to buy 10 more Launchpads, which boosts the total number to 53, said Jeremy Davis, director of the children’s department.

For more information about titles available, call the Hoover library at 444-7830 or search for Launchpad on the catalog at hooverlibrary.org.