Children's Collection
The Missoula Public Library offers a variety of materials selected especially for children. Children and parents can find books in the following sections:
Toddler Cubes
This collection is designed for our very young listeners. You can recognize Tot books by the "TOT" on the spine label. These books, many of them board books, contain basic concepts, little text, and lots of repetition. This rapidly growing collection is shelved at random in the three toddler cubes in the center of the picture book room.
Easy/Picture Books
A better name for these books would be everybody books! You can recognize these books by the "E" written on the spine label. These books are filled with pictures and text. Easy books are not always easy to read. Choose these books to read to your children, or for readers who are fairly fluent. These books are kept in approximate alphabetical order by author's last name.
Beginning Readers/Easy Beg
The Beginning Reader collection has been selected specifically with newly developing readers in mind, approximately grades K-3. The books in this collection have been designed and written by those well-versed in the reading process. They have short sentence structures, and controlled vocabularies. Familiar examples include many titles by Dr. Seuss, the Frog and Toad books, and the Amelia Bedelia books. Many even feature lists of words contained in the book, excellent for developing flash cards and other reading tools! The very easiest books have blue dots on their spines. You can recognize these books by the "E-BEG" written on the spine label. These books are kept in alphabetical order by author's last name.
Picture Books for Everyone
This small but growing collection features books that are longer, or have content that is more advanced than traditional picture books, but contain many illustrations. You can recognize these books by the "JE" written on the spine label.
Children's Non-Fiction
Probably the largest collections in the Children's Department, you can recognize these books by the "J" and Dewey Decimal number written on the spine label. In the computer, this section is called "juvenile nonfiction." These popular books are written for a variety of ages, and are kept in Dewey Decimal order by subject.
Children's Fiction
Often called chapter books, these books contain lots of text and few, if any, pictures. They are intended for children who read fluently on their own, from approximately fourth through eighth grades. Many adults like to read them, too! You can recognize these books by the "J" and the author's last name written on the spine label. In the computer, this section is called "juvenile fiction." They are shelved in alphabetical order by author's last name.
Children's Paperbacks
These books are softcover versions of the Children's Fiction collection, or fiction titles only printed in softcover format. You can recognize them by the "JPB" and author's last name written on the spine label. Many popular paperback series are shelved in bookcases on the ends of the Children's Fiction shelves. The rest are shelved alphabetically by author's last name.
Holiday Books
A very popular collection, these books are written for a wide range of ages, and are shelved together by holiday near the southwest corner of the library. You can recognize these books by the colorful, holiday-specific stickers on the spines.
Browsers can also find books and music on tape and CD, children's videos, DVD's and magazines for children.