This is Paco, the official mascot of the Children's Room. He is a pacu, a South American fresh water fish who is a relative of the piranha. You can visit Paco and the other aquarium fish any time the Children's Department is open.
Welcome to the Anna Gertrude Brewster Children's Department. We are located on the basement level of Forbes Library with a separate side entrance and garden.
Go Green with Summer Reading Adventure and Super Tuesdays!
Help us fix up the Children's Department in 2010!
Would you like to help us build our audiobook collection? By clicking on the button below, you can access our wishlist and donate a title directly from Amazon!
What We Do
Library dogs at work
The Children's Room Collection has over 28,000 items including:
- Picture Books
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Reference
- World Languages
- Magazines
- Videos and DVDs
- Music CDs
- Audio Books on Cassette and CD
- Parenting Books and Videos
Most materials can be borrowed for 3 weeks (videos and magazines go out for 1 week).
Hands-On Science series
Reference
We offer reference assistance to children and parents. The staff are happy to help you find what you are looking for whether for homework or just for fun. Please don't be shy, ask your librarian!
Programs & Events
The Children's Department sponsors programs and activities for children and teens, including summer reading, movies, story time, craft and animal programs. Click here to see the current schedule of events.
Computers & Internet
You can use the computers in the Children's Room for research, games, searching the library catalog or the internet. There is plenty of software available including:
- Encarta Reference & Encarta Researcher
- Map Point
- Magic School Bus
- MS Office (Word processing, database, spreadsheet, etc.)
- FrontPage
- Publisher
- PhotoDraw
Please read Safe Cyberspace Surfing
Toys & Games
The Children's department has a great selection of toys to play with any time you visit. Board games are available too: all the classics including Monopoly, Chess, Checkers, Chutes & Ladders, Life, Twister, and many more!
Dinosaurs and castle
Volunteering
Young volunteer shelver
Read to your Little Buddy
Do you like books and children? Teens can sign up to "Read to Your Little Buddy" in the Children's Room. Volunteers will be matched with a child who they will meet with weekly to spend some fun time reading. Interested teens should call 587-1010 or stop by the library.
Parents: would you like to have a teen volunteer read to your young child? This program is designed to have teens mentor younger children who may not have older siblings, and for teens who may not have little brothers or sisters. It is fun for all involved. If you would like to put you child on a list to be matched with a teen volunteer, please call 587-1010 or stop by the library.
Elder Volunteers
The Children's Room has openings for elders to read to children one-on-one or in groups. If you are interested, please ask the Children's Librarian for more information.
Children's Department Hours
Monday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday: closed
(413) 587-1010