General “Stacks” Collection (FIC & Dewey)
- Description: Includes Fiction and Non-Fiction items that do not fit into our other special collections listed below
- Size: 9,800+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with FIC (for fiction) and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has red dots (for Fiction) and blue dots (for non-Fiction). Special areas with spine stickers and signage include Folklore, TESOL, Graphic Novels, & Biography
- Location: Main shelving, aisles numbered 1 – 8
Easy Collection (E)
- Description: Includes items for the earliest readers, beginning with wordless picture books through elementary level, and including a significant number of board books
- Size: 3,700+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with E. Spine has yellow dots (for Easy)
- Location: North wall shelving
International Collection (INT)
- Description: Includes Easy, Fiction, and Non-Fiction materials by non-American authors
- Size: 2,200+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with INT. Spine has green dot with author country designation as well as yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction)
- Location: Main shelving, aisles numbered 9 - 10
Environmental Collection (ENV)
- Description: Includes Easy, Fiction, and Non-Fiction materials focused on protecting the environment and on sustainability (includes all Green Earth Book Award Winning & Honor Titles)
- Size: 1,800+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin ENV and have E (for Easy), FIC (for fiction), and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction)
- Location: Special Collection Room TE 226 N
Historical Fiction Collection (HF)
- Description: Includes Easy and Fiction materials focused on historical time periods
- Size: 650+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with HF, with the second line displaying the time period of the narrative, arranged from earliest to latest.
- Location: Main shelving, aisle numbered 1
Newbery Award Collection (NEWB)
- Description: Includes Newbery Award winner and honoree titles
- Size: 540+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with NEWB. Spine has Newbery Award sticker as well as yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction)
- Location: West wall shelving (middle)
Foreign Language Collection (FORLA)
- Description: Includes Easy, Fiction, and Non-Fiction foreign language or bi-lingual materials
- Size: 580+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with FORLA and have E (for Easy), FIC (for fiction), and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction). 30 languages are represented, including Spanish, French, Haitian/Creole, Japanese, Danish, Russian, Dutch, German, Chinese, Portuguese, Polish, Swedish, Greek, Romanian, Norwegian, Vietnamese, Italian, Irish, Persian/Farsi, Turkish, Icelandic, Khmer, Australian, Yiddish, Macedonian, Choctaw, Navajo, Czech/Slovak, Braille, and American Sign Language.
- Location: Main shelving, aisle 10
History of American Literacy Collection (HALC & HALCR)
- Description: A new collection being formed to chronicle American literacy texts for the education of children and literature for children. It will include: 1) early didactic texts; 2) early religious texts and textbooks; 3) early examples of picture books that predate chromolithography, examples of chromolithography, pop-up books, and books with movable parts; and 4) picture books and serial fiction from the first half of the 20th century
- Size: 450+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with HALC and HALCR (for Reference). HALC items are circulating, HALCR are rarer and more fragile, so are non-circulating. Spine has yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction)
- Location: Special Collection Room TE 226 M
Caldecott Award Collection (CAL)
- Description: Includes Caldecott Award winner and honoree titles
- Size: 480+ items
- Special Attributes: Call number begins with CAL and have E (for Easy) and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has Caldecott Award sticker as well as yellow dots (for Easy) and blue dots (for non-fiction)
- Location: East wall shelving (middle)
Reference Collection (REF)
- Description: Includes primarily the print volumes of the reference title, "Something About the Author" with a few Children's literature related materials
- Size: 370+ items
- Special Attributes: Call number begins with REF
- Location: Shelving behind service desk
Outdoor Education Leadership Collection (ODEL)
- Description: Includes oversized Easy, Fiction, and Non-Fiction materials focused on outdoor education and leadership
- Size: 70+ items
- Special Attributes: This is a newly formed collection (2023) and will continue to grow as items are added. Call numbers begin with ODEL and have E (for Easy), FIC (for fiction), and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has yellow dots (for Easy), green dots (for TESOL), and blue dots (for non-fiction).
- Location: West wall shelving (south)
Maryland Collection (MD)
- Description: Includes Easy, Fiction, and Non-Fiction materials about Maryland or by Maryland authors
- Size: 170+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with MD and have E (for Easy), FIC (for fiction), and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has Maryland sticker as well as yellow dots (for Easy), red dots (for Fiction), and blue dots (for non-fiction).
- Location: Main shelving, aisle 10
Oversized “Big Book” Collection (OVS)
- Description: Includes oversized Easy, Fiction, and TESOL materials to be used in the classroom
- Size: 160+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with OVS and have E (for Easy) and Dewey (for non-fiction). Spine has yellow dots (for Easy), green dots (for TESOL), and blue dots (for non-fiction).
- Location: Stand-alone map cases, east wall
Puppet Collection (PUPET)
- Description: Includes hand and finger puppets, in animal and human form, for use in the classroom
- Size: 90+ items
- Location: Puppet stands
St. John Musical Instrument Collection (STJOHN)
- Description: Includes a wide variety of hand-held musical instruments, designed for infants, toddlers, and children, for use in the classroom
- Size: 100+ items
- Location: TBD
Media Collection (MEDIA)
- Description: Includes all non-book audio-visual format materials
- Location: Shelving behind service desk
Curriculum Materials Collection (CRMAT)
- Description: Includes all curriculum objects or physical sets used for teaching
- Location: Shelving behind service desk
Signed Book Collection
- Description: Includes any author/illustrator signed book from any collection, placed on permanent display
- Size: 500+ items
- Special Attributes:
- Location: Display cases in the Powers Reading Room
Illustrative Art Work Collection
- Description: Includes a significant number of original works and prints by Children's book illustrators
- Size: 70+ items
- Special Attributes: Special permanent exhibit of works by Bryan Collier (an Eastern Shore native) and Sonia Lynn Sadler
- Location: On display on the art gallery wall and throughout the center
