Children’s Department

Children’s Department at the Portsmouth Public Library

Children Reading Books

Preschool Story Time Tuesdays

  • 10:30 a.m.
  • All ages are welcome
  • Programs are designed for Birth-5 year olds
  • Open to families and home day cares with 8 children or less.
  • Larger groups must call to register for a special session

Materials

The Children’s Department houses a variety of materials on a wide range of subjects. These include

  • Books on tape and CD
  • Chapter books
  • Homework assistance
  • Juvenile fiction and nonfiction books for both pleasure reading
  • Music
  • Picture books
  • Videos and DVD’s

Grants

The department has been completely refurnished through grants from the Beazley Foundation, the Fenster Family, and the Portsmouth Community Foundation.

Programs

Programs are very important to the staff of the department, and weekly storytimes are held for the public, including small home day cares. Programs are also provided for large day cares, schools, camps, and other groups as time and space allow.

Crafts

Craft programs and a coloring contest are offered monthly.

Summer

During the summer, the department, along with the library branches, has an annual Summer Reading Program sponsored by the Fenster Family in memory of Mrs. Louise Rapoport Fenster.

Weekly

The Children’s Department offers story times, crafts, and special programs weekly during the program, as well as giving prizes for reading books.

Contact

For information about any of the department’s programs, please visit the Children Programs page or call 393-8501 and ask for the Children’s Department.

Booklists

ALA’s Association for Library service for Children has some wonderful Booklists, take a look.

Association for Library Service

The Association for Library Service to Children promotes reading and books through recommendations, compilations of lists, and related services from the Recommended Book Lists from ALSC

Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. To learn more, view the Caldecott Medal Page

Newbery Medal & Honor Books

View Newbery Medal and Honor Books from 1922 to Present.