After 14 years of service on the Hillsboro City Council and decades as an educator and community volunteer, former Mayor Steve Callaway’s legacy of service in Hillsboro will be honored in the perfect place.

The Steve Callaway Children’s Area of the Brookwood Library will be rededicated later this year.

The naming honor reflects the former teacher and school principal’s history of reading to thousands of elementary school children in classrooms and libraries during his time as Hillsboro’s mayor.

“What do you name after a man who has dedicated his life to serving the community, especially children?” asked former City Councilor Darell Lumaco, as he announced the naming plans at a community celebration event for Callaway on January 23 at the Hidden Creek Community Center.

“This is such a fitting tribute to Mayor Callaway. His heart has always been with the kids.”

A Place for Early Literacy & Learning

The children’s area at Brookwood Library measures approximately 4,000 square feet and holds more than 41,000 items for Hillsboro’s youngest library patrons. Books and other materials are available in 18 languages for babies, preschoolers, and early elementary children.

“One of my favorite things to do during my time as Mayor was to visit schools, classrooms, assemblies, and entire grades,” Callaway reflected. “I read dozens of books to thousands of students at public schools, private schools, summer school, online school, and even home schools. All of this is why this honor is so important to me.”

• Make a donation to the Library Foundation of Hillsboro and you can add a children’s book ($5), 10 children’s books ($50), or even more to the collections at both Brookwood and Shute Park libraries.

In addition to library materials, family-friendly seating, and an engaging play space, the children’s area includes a Sensory Room that features reading spaces with soft seating, dim lighting, and calming music to soothe children who benefit from a cozy environment.

“We are delighted to name this space in Steve Callaway’s honor to recognize the important role he has played in supporting libraries and learning in Hillsboro,” said Library Director Tammy Wallin. “Learning and literacy are at the core of what we do at the library, and Hillsboro Public Library has always enjoyed strong support from Steve since he values those things as much as we do.”

A collection of adapted toys, available for checkout through the Library of Things, was recently added to engage young patrons with a variety of abilities and needs.

“My goal is for every child who lives in Hillsboro, that their story would begin with ‘Once upon a time’... and close with ‘...and they lived happily ever after,’” Callaway said.

“With my background in education, I’ve always understood that the ability to read is a foundational life skill that provides independence and critical-thinking skills. Reading can transport you anywhere, into the past, into the future, it can unlock your imagination, guide your dreams, and fuel your ambitions. Early literacy is the key to learning to read.

“The strongest and most important partnership we have as a community is between our libraries and our homes and our schools. The one thing all of these educational entities have in common is they use the libraries. The library is the foundation to our democracy. The fact that everyone has access to our libraries is evidence of that.”

Make a Donation

To support the new Steve Callaway Children’s Area at Brookwood Library and the children’s area at Shute Park Library, the Library Foundation of Hillsboro is collecting donations through its website.

• Donate Online: Library Foundation of Hillsboro

A $5 contribution is enough to donate one children’s book, while $50 will provide 10 children’s books, and larger contributions will support even more children’s programs at both the Shute Park and Brookwood libraries.