The Pahrump Community Library will add new touchscreen learning devices for children with a $5,519.94 grant from the Pizza Hut Foundation, celebrated Saturday, Oct. 24, during a gathering at the library.
Families joined library staff and representatives from the local Pizza Hut for the check presentation, pizza and a celebration of the funding. During the presentation, a Pizza Hut representative said the library was one of 18 recipients selected from more than 500 libraries.
The grant will support the purchase of Launchpad Quest educational devices and a station for them in the library’s youth services area. The devices will be mounted on a table, giving children a place to explore preloaded learning activities during their library visits.
Library Director Julie Butland said the planned devices will each offer 150 apps, with content covering literacy, STEM, games and other subjects.
“I want to thank the Pizza Hut Foundation for giving us this generous grant,” Butland said. “We plan to purchase Launchpad Quest for our children.”
According to product information shared at the celebration, Launchpad Quest is a self-contained learning system with a 21.5-inch touchscreen, designed for children ages 3 through 10 and older. Its activities span math, literacy, art, science, arcade games, and logic and life skills.
The system combines educational games, storybooks and other activities that children can explore independently. Literacy options include interactive stories, phonics and sight-word games, while STEM content includes science, creative art and engineering challenges.
Kim Thompson, the library’s head of youth services, explained that the devices will provide a focused learning experience with preloaded content.
“They can’t get on the internet or do anything other than learn,” Thompson said.
The touchscreen stations will give young visitors another way to practice skills and discover new interests while spending time at the library. Rather than requiring children or families to download activities, the devices arrive with content ready to use.
Thompson thanked both the foundation and the local Pizza Hut team for helping make the purchase and celebration possible.
“I just want to say thank you so much to the Pizza Hut Foundation for this generous donation that’s going to allow us to bring these educational devices to our community,” she said.
Butland also expressed appreciation for the local restaurant’s support, while Thompson thanked the team for helping set up the event and providing food for the celebration.
The gathering paired the grant presentation with an incentive to pick up a book. Children who checked out a book that day could receive a coupon for a free personal pan pizza at the local Pizza Hut. Families were also invited to enjoy pizza and cookies during the event.
For the library, the celebration marked a step toward adding more educational resources for its youngest patrons.
“Hopefully, the children in our community will be able to enjoy these Launchpad Quests,” Butland said.
