Storm Lake library adds new touchscreen workstation for children
A new touchscreen workstation in Storm Lake’s children’s library gives young readers a safer, internet-free way to learn after the old computer wore out.
The Storm Lake Public Library has a new children’s computer in its youth area, filling a gap left when the old workstation reached the end of its service life and could no longer be updated or repaired. Library Director Elizabeth Huff said the replacement gives young readers and early learners a dedicated station again, one designed for children who are just beginning to use library technology.
The new setup is an AWE Learning Early Learning Workstation, purchased with money raised by Friends of the Library through community donations. It is touch-operated, so children do not need a keyboard or mouse, and it comes loaded with educational games and activities aimed at early literacy, math skills, school readiness and creative learning. The system does not connect to the internet, a feature that makes it more usable for younger children while also limiting online exposure.
AWE Learning says its workstations are used by more than 49% of public libraries nationwide and have delivered more than 500 million learning hours. The company says the platform includes more than 250 STREAM-aligned titles and is built for children from non-readers through emerging readers, with a dedicated pre-K interface and support for neurodiverse learners. In Storm Lake, those features put a national product into a very local space: the library at 609 Cayuga St., where families depend on public access to books, computers and early learning tools.
The addition also points to a larger need in Buena Vista County for affordable digital access geared toward young children. When a library workstation breaks down and cannot be repaired, the loss is not just technical. It can leave families without a child-friendly learning tool in one of the few public spaces where access is open and free. Friends of the Library has said renovation of the children’s department, including replacement of the computer station, is one of its major 2026 goals, and the new workstation is the first visible step in that effort.
The timing lines up with other early learning activity in Storm Lake. The library’s summer reading program is scheduled to run from June 1 through Aug. 1, 2026, while the Storm Lake Community School District recently received a STEM Scale-Up grant for early learning at the Storm Lake Early Childhood Center. Together, those efforts show a community putting resources into children before they reach kindergarten and beyond.
Families are invited to stop in and try the new workstation, and Friends of the Library says it will keep focusing on improvements to the children’s area this year.
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