General “Stacks” Collection (FIC & Dewey)
- Description: Includes Fiction and Non-Fiction items that do not fit into our other special collections listed below
- Size: 10,000+ 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, isles 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: 3,000+ 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: 1,900+ 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, isles 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: 1,100+ 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: 570+ items
- Special Attributes: Call numbers begin with HF and the time periods of narrative, arranged from earliest to latest. Spine has Historical Fiction sticker as well as yellow dots (for Easy) and red dots (for Fiction)
- Location: Main shelving, isle numbered 1
Newbery Award Collection (NEWB)
- Description: Includes Newbery Award winner and honoree titles
- Size: 490+ 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: 460+ 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, isle 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: 430+ 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: West wall shelving (north)
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: 140+ 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, isle 10
Oversized “Big Book” Collection (OVS)
- Description: Includes oversized Easy, Fiction, and TESOL materials to be used in the classroom
- Size: 120+ 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: 290+ 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
