Iowa City Public Library materials are freely available to all, regardless of age. The Library's policy of open access is based on respect for each person's right to information and confidentiality. It is the responsibility of parents to monitor their own child's use of library materials, according to their knowledge of the child's maturity and taste.
| Books | |
| Picture Books | Illustrated stories and nursery rhymes for young children. Special collections include board books for toddlers, Dr. Seuss Books, and Caldecott Award Books. |
| Readers | Easy-to-read stories for older preschool to primary grades. The easiest readers for those just learning to read have a small blue dot on the spine. |
| Holiday Books | Children's books about Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. |
| Fiction | Longer children's stories and novels. |
| Non-Fiction |
Information books for preschool through fourth grade. Non-fiction for fifth to eighth-grade is interfiled with adult non-fiction shelved on the second floor. These items are marked with a special sticker on the spine. |
| Magazines | Magazines for children, parents, and teachers. |
| Homework Center & Reference Collection | In-depth information and research sources for in-library use only. |
| Parent/Teacher Collection | Resources for adults interested in early childhood education and family literacy. |
New Books |
New picture books, fiction, and non-fiction. |
| Audiovisual/Non-Print Materials | |
| DVDs | Children's stories, feature films, and instructional programs on DVD. Those marked with blue dots have public performance rights; the rest are for home viewing only. |
| Compact Discs | Music, stories, and instructional recordings |
| Audio/Books & Books on Disc | Audio/Books are a combination of a compact disc and a book. Books on disc are just the sound recordings. |
| Storytime Kits | Theme boxes with books and realia such as puppets. |
| Toys | Learning toys and games for home use. |
| Multimedia and Video Games | Wii games and CD-ROM interactive storybooks and games for children. |
Children's Listening Center/Multimedia Stations
Children can listen to compact discs and watch DVDs on equipment in the Children's Room. They can also play previously installed games, use Microsoft Office and connect to the Internet on our multimedia stations. To use any of this equipment, ask at the Children's Room Desk.