A new offering at Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport is designed to help children’s imaginations take flight.
Workers at the airport know traveling with kids can be tricky. Matt Szwejbka, marketing and communications specialist for the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority, said he hopes the new SYR Reading Runway can help.
"We just hope that we can take just an ounce of stress off of your plate,” he said. “If you forgot a book for your kid, we've got you covered."
The runway is set up like a library, right outside of the TSA security checkpoint at the airport. Families can look through books on the shelves and take them on their journey to keep. And if families get through security and then find out their flight is delayed, they still have options.
"Don't worry,” said Szwejbka. “In Syracuse, you are able to exit back to the pre-security side, hit up the Reading Runway, grab what you'd like, and then pass back through the TSA security checkpoint again."
The Reading Runway is a partnership withOnondaga County Public Libraries. OCPL Executive Director Christian Zabriskie said the airport library can be a chance for parents to make a connection with their kids during a busy time.
"If you're sitting at a gate for an hour, maybe this is a great time to have your child sit on your lap and read a picture book together, or maybe you read Charlotte's Web together,” he said.
He also thinks the library can help lower stress for families while traveling.
“The library has kind of an intrinsic comfort to it,” he said. “People feel better around a library. So, maybe you can take five minutes in your busy hectic travel time. Maybe your kid can find a book and discover some solace as they’re traveling.”
Zabriskie hopes the Reading Runway may also encourage families coming to the area to explore all the local library system has to offer during their time in central New York.
