The picture book collection serves children from birth to grade six and their teachers and parent/caregivers. It comprises not only traditional storybooks but also concept books and wordless picture books. Within the general collection there are four sub-collections: Easy Science, Easy Career, Easy Bilingual and Easy Language Arts. Materials are also acquired for three adjunct collections—easy readers, big books and board books.
Standard Picture Books
Titles within the general picture book collection:
Encourage children to develop a love of stories and reading
Help children develop early literacy skills such as letter knowledge, narrative skills and phonological awareness
Represent different world cultures and cultural diversity within the United States
Promote psychological adjustment to milestone events for children, such as starting school, losing teeth and moving
Help parents introduce their children to sensitive topics like death, divorce and the arrival of a new sibling
Promote one-on-one sharing
Teach general concepts such as math, shapes, colors and numbers
Selection criteria: Whenever possible, picture book purchases are based on positive reviews published in professional library journals such as School Library Journal and The Horn Book. Key considerations for all picture books, big books, easy readers and board books include:
Value—Does the book have contemporary or permanent significance?
Cost—Is the potential value worth the cost?
Quality of writing, design and illustrations—Are they appealing and accessible to children?
Balance between text and illustrations—Do the pictures extend the meaning of the text? If the book is wordless, do the pictures communicate the story effectively?
Relevance to the community needs—Is the topic or author in demand? Is the author local?
Binding—Hardcover is preferable to paperback, whenever available
Durability—Will the book withstand multiple circulations? The Library does not circulate pop-up books, cloth books or toy books with fragile, detachable parts.
Space—Is there enough physical space for the book?
Tone—Must not be judgmental or didactic
Length—Must not exceed 40 pages, unless book is a collection of shorter works
Presentation—If the book is an abridged version of a much longer work, is it true to the spirit and content of the original work?
Balanced treatment of religious holidays—Collection must contain secular and spiritual representations of holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Kwanzaa and Passover
Preference is given to books that are suitable for story times and programming needs, and/or that support commonly taught preschool themes like community helpers, planting/gardening and seasons. Also desirable are books that tie in with the library’s Summer Reading Club and other reading-centered programs. Titles that have won prestigious awards such as the Caldecott Medal, have been designated as ALA Best Books for Children, and/or have received starred library journal reviews, are considered high-priority purchases. Multiple copies of a title may be ordered if circulation statistics indicate a heavy demand.
Easy Science Books
This sub-collection contains picture books featuring basic science concepts for preschoolers through the primary grades. Subjects include space, weather, dinosaurs and other topics commonly explored with young children. Titles are suitable for individual or classroom use.
Selection criteria: Purchases are based on library journal reviews, and/or a librarian’s perusal of titles available from individual publishers. Special consideration is given to:
Accuracy
Suitability for the intended ages—simple content, vocabulary and concepts
Interest level—Is the topic of interest to this age level?
Presentation—Is the tone informational? Is the focus on science, not on story?
Easy Bilingual Books
Although this sub-collection represents many languages, it consists predominantly of Spanish/English language titles, which are most often requested and most frequently reviewed.
Selection criteria: Bilingual picture book purchases are based heavily on library journal reviews. A high priority is placed on accuracy of translation, and the degree to which the translation retains the spirit of the original language text. Titles must also provide an authentic representation of the culture(s) being depicted.
Easy Career Books
These books serve to introduce a variety of professions/careers to children in preschool through the primary grades. Titles are suitable for individual or classroom use.
Selection criteria: Purchases are based on library journal reviews, and/or a librarian’s perusal of materials available from individual publishers. Titles in this sub-collection must:
Reflect gender equality in the text and illustrations
Contain simple explanations, with pictures or photographs that clearly depict what each job entails
Reflect current trends and changes in technology, work tasks, equipment, etc.
Be informational titles—not stories
Easy Language Arts
This sub-collection consists of illustrated books that encourage an understanding of the letters and sounds used to construct the English language. It is used primarily by parents and teachers who desire to teach children vowel sounds, consonant blends, and phonetic pronunciations.
Selection criteria: Space is limited for new acquisitions. Materials are often purchased in sets based on library journal reviews and/or a librarian’s perusal of materials available from individual publishers. All materials must be suitable for new or emerging readers.
Easy Readers
This collection serves to promote literacy skill development in children who are in the early stages of learning to read. Easy readers use large print, controlled vocabularies, simple sentences, plentiful illustrations and a limited number of words per page to encourage children to develop confidence in their reading abilities. Titles in this collection are classified as beginning, intermediate or advanced, depending upon the reading levels assigned by the publishers.
Selection criteria: Space is limited for new acquisitions. Purchases are based on library journal reviews; demand for popular series, topics or authors, and/or a librarian’s perusal of titles available from individual publishers. Materials are acquired across all three reading levels to ensure an adequate selection of materials.
Big Books
Big books are picture books published in an oversized, paperback format that is suitable for large-group sharing. This collection is used primarily by teachers seeking materials to read to their classes. Efforts are made to purchase titles that support themes and topics commonly explored with young children. Suitability for reading aloud is a key consideration.
Selection criteria: Big books are purchased from publisher catalogs whenever they become available. Because big books are typically reissues of established picture books, library journal reviews are not required to justify their purchase. Acquisition of new titles is often limited by shelving constraints.
Board Books
Board books are designed for use by babies and toddlers who are just learning how to handle books. They are ideal for parents seeking to introduce books to very young children through one-on-one sharing.
Selection criteria: When possible, board book purchases are based on library journal reviews. However, many titles are acquired as gifts or donations, provided that they have:
Sturdy, paper-over-board construction, with a limited number of pages
Minimal text accompanied by simple, colorful pictures or photographs. Often the pictures predominate.
Minimal story content—emphasis is on introducing children to basic vocabulary words and concepts. Longer picture books published in board book format will be acquired only if a demand exists for them, or if the stories have strong toddler appeal.
While some board books may contain flaps or touch-and-feel elements, care is taken not to purchase books with small, detachable parts that could present choking hazards. Acquisition of new titles is often limited by shelving constraints.
RETENTION/WEEDING OF PICTURE BOOKS, EASY READERS, BIG BOOKS AND BOARD BOOKS
The decision to weed or replace damaged or lost items is based on the items’ circulation and availability. Items with high circulation counts will be replaced if new copies or gift items in acceptable condition are available. Damaged or lost items with below-average to poor circulation are typically not replaced unless they meet specific community or library programming needs, and/or are deemed notable (e.g., Caldecott Medal winners). Because shelf space is limited, it may be necessary to weed multiple copies or circulating items in good condition to make room for new titles.
Revised 12/28/12