CLEVELAND — According to Policy Matters Ohio, nearly 40% of Ohioans live in a child care desert. 

“A child care desert is any census tract with more than 50 children under age 5 that contains either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than three times as many children as licensed child care slots,” according to Center for American Progress.

At the Cuyahoga County Public Library Maple Heights branch, they are taking steps to make sure more families have access to child care, with the Debra Ann November Early Learning Center located inside of the branch.

Tracy Strobel, the CEO of Cuyahoga County Public Library, explained that it’s the only case of a library and an early childhood learning center partnering in the state of Ohio.

Strobel said to her this partnership just makes sense, and it allows the children in the learning center access to the library’s spaces, resources, and collections.

The library CEO highlights the successful partnership and plans to expand to Parma Heights.

“We are building a new branch library, but with that, we are adding on six thousand square feet to provide an early learning center like the one we have here in Maple Heights,” Strobel said.

Janet Lucha, the site manager for the Debra Ann November Early Learning Center, said the children have the opportunity to interact with librarians and utilize their resources several times a week.

Lucha adds that the library’s resources have been proven to be beneficial for entire families, not just the children at the learning center.

“They have different programs where our families can participate if they need to get a GED, if English is their second language, if they need to become a U.S. citizen,” Lucha explained. “We have had families that have participated in those programs.”