In the Children's area, you can choose from over 50,000 items! The collection supports pleasure reading, information for personal needs, information for parents and caregivers, school resources for toddlerhood through 6th grade, and home education.
All of our collections feature a mix of popular authors and first-time authors, titles waiting to be discovered and old favorites. We choose materials for their research value and their kid appeal. We have information and tales from many places, cultures, and time periods as well as in many languages. All materials in the Children’s Services Room may be found in the Library Catalog.

· Board books for babies and toddlers:
In our board book bins, you will find wordless series with illustrations of recognizable objects, people and places, illustrated books featuring concepts such as emotions, sizes and families, and picture books reduced to board book format. This is a popular circulating collection

· Picture Books:
The picture book collection includes concept books such as alphabet and counting books, award winners including Caldecott Medal and Honor books, and classic books alongside contemporary works. Patrons 2 to 8 years old most commonly use this circulating collection.

· Fiction:
The fiction for children up through 12 years old includes early chapter books, full-length novels, family read-alouds, classics, award winners, required summer reading titles, book report choices, popular series and books in all genres: humor, family and school stories, humor, animal stories, mysteries, horror and suspense, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, sports stories and stories set in other lands. Some novels are available in large print or in Braille.

· Nonfiction:
The children’s nonfiction section includes Information books of all kinds: books for school reports, amazing facts, huge selections of: biographies, folk and fairy tales from around the world, science projects and experiments, art and craft projects, poetry, cultures of the world, picture books on real-life topics.

· Reference:
Our reference section includes atlases, dictionaries, almanacs and a diverse collection specialized information books on topics including science, mythology, history and geography. These books stay in the library for your use whenever you visit the library.

· World Languages:
We have many books for children in Spanish, Chinese, Armenian, Vietnamese and other languages spoken in the Worcester area. Language learning, picture dictionaries and bilingual books, stories, folktales and informational books are all included in this newly expanded collection.

· Magazines:
Our assortment of magazines of interest to children ages 1 – 13 covers a variety of themes: land animals and sea creatures, sports, science, fun activities and more. A broad array of comic books is a popular part of this circulating collection.

· DVDs and Videos:
Feature films, animated and live action, preschool learning, songs, children’s concerts and documentaries in all areas are available for borrowing in both Dvd and Video.

· Sound Recordings:
Audio materials available in the Children’s Room include books on both audio cassette and CD kits with both book and recording, as well as music and folk tales.

· CD-Roms:
Most CD-Roms in the Children’s Collection are cross-platform and can be used on Mac's or PCs. You will find interactive children's stories and early education support in areas such as phonics and math, information on science and social studies topics in this circulating collection.

· Family Information Needs:
The Family Information Needs collection consists of books, audio and print, and videos on child development, childhood fears and concerns, parenting, education, adaptation, and integration, and special physical and mental health needs. A special set of resources funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation and the Autism Resource Center of Central Massachusetts is incorporated in the Family Information Needs materials. You will also find seven parenting magazines and four teacher’s magazines in this circulating collection.

· LINKS:
LINKS consists of materials for educators, parents and professionals working with children that help to introduce children’s literature to children. Included you will find books on story program planning, literacy activities, presenting books and authors in the classroom, and literature related activities.