Beloit Public Library received a $35,000 grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation to support the development of Discovery PLAYce.
This grant will fund a giant Lite-Brite wall—an oversized, hands-on light-and-peg display that will provide opportunities for children and their caregivers to create glowing pictures and patterns while building fine motor skills, early STEM thinking, and collaborative, creativity-sparking play.
“Discovery PLAYce is about giving Beloit’s youngest children and their caregivers a free, welcoming place to learn through play—and to build the relationships that power early learning,” said Nick Dimassis, Director of Beloit Public Library. “We’re grateful to the Alliant Energy Foundation for investing in this vision and helping us add an experience that will draw families in, invite shared discovery, and strengthen our community for years to come.”
Scheduled to open in Fall of 2026, Discovery PLAYce will transform the library’s children’s area into a 6,000-square-foot interactive learning lab designed for children ages 0–6 and their caregivers. It will feature immersive Learning Play Stations inspired by Beloit’s landscape, a robust picture book collection, and resources to strengthen caregiver confidence.
“Discovery PLAYce is a shining example of how we support communities and early learning through family engagement,” said Andy Kitslaar, Executive Director, Alliant Energy Foundation. “At Alliant Energy, we’re proud to help keep the lights on for Beloit and we love that this project will literally light up young minds. Just as every peg in the Lite-Brite helps create a bigger, brighter picture, every moment of play and discovery here helps build a brighter future for the community.”
The Alliant Energy Foundation is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where Alliant Energy employees, retirees and customers live and work. The Foundation, which is funded solely by Alliant Energy shareowners, seeks to further the corporation’s goal of being a good corporate citizen and contributing member of society. Since 1998, the Foundation has contributed more than $76 million to innovative projects and local nonprofits. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com/foundation.
Learn more about Discovery PLAYce at Beloit Public Library at beloitlibrary.org/discovery-playce.
