Child Life Department

Libraries

At Texas Children’s Hospital, medical center campus, the Pi Beta Phi Patient/Family Library opened in 1984 in a small closet with only 500 books on the shelves. Today it is located on the 16h floor of the West Tower in a much larger, welcoming area and is open seven days a week. The motto of the library is "A little something for everyone" and it boasts a collection of more than 6,000 fiction and non-fiction books for all ages. The collection includes a large selection of paperbacks for adults, storybooks for children, foreign language books, DVDs, board games and puzzles. In the family resource room, patients and parents can find medical and parenting resources, as well as computers with internet access, printers, a FAX machine and a copy machine.

Pi Beta Phi Book Nooks were introduced in 1999 to provide books for patients and families in waiting rooms. There are over 140 Pi Beta Phi Book Nooks—located at Texas Children's Hospital The Medical Center, Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands Campus, Texas Children's Health Centers, Urgent care facilities, Centers for Women and Children, and in all of the Texas Children's Pediatric practices throughout the Houston area. These lovely Book Nooks hold give-a-way books for patient to take home and enjoy.

Pi Beta Phi Library staffing includes two full-time library coordinators and volunteers. The Houston Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club has provided principal funding for the Medical Center and West Campus libraries. The Woodlands Patient/ Family Library, generously funded by Barbara and Adams opened in 2017 and is staffed by volunteers. Donations may be given "in honor of "or "in memory of "special friends and family members.