Children's Services

The Independence Public Library Board and Staff believe that children are our future and have a strong desire to instill a love of reading and learning in children. We would love for children to identify the library as a place to find great reading materials, find answers to questions, meet with others their age, and to go to programs of all kinds.
Flutterby Cove - a children's area in the library.
Children making arts and crafts in the library.
A woman helps a young girl learn how to use the computer.

Flutterby Cove

Children have a special area in the library called Flutterby Cove. It is a fun, bright area where kids can choose to walk in the big door or the little door. This area is used for browsing materials, story times, using you imagination, and reading with parents/guardians.



Computers
While in the library, children ages 5 and up who have a library card can use the library computers.

Early Literacy Computers

The library has 3 early literacy computers that any child may use...just ask at the desk. They are for children 2-8, have a touch-screen and special keyboard, and more than 50 educational programs for early learning!



Children's Materials

The library offers children's materials in several formats and age groupings.


Available to Checkout & Take Home

  • Beginning readers
  • Board books
  • Bundles2Go
  • Chapter books
  • Easy non-fiction
  • Non-fiction
  • Picture books
  • Just Right Books
  • Magazines
  • Audio books
  • VOX Books
  • DVDs
  • STEM backpacks 

Bundles2Go

Find bundles about apples, pink, dogs, trucks, and more! These are a grouping of 5 books, all with the same theme. Library staff have chosen picture books and bundles could have non-fiction books included as well. When you are in a hurry, just grab a Bundle2Go.


Just Right Books Section


Just Right Books are leveled using the same system as the local schools, and the books are organized from A - P with the easiest books starting in the As. These are ideal for emergent and beginning readers and can be found at exactly the right level to promote successful and encouraging reading experiences.

STEM Backpacks

There are three activity backpacks available to check out - Building Challenge, Coding Fun, and Pattern Puzzles. These have been provided by Iowa Public Television! Fun and learning - conveniently available in a backpack for checkout.

VOX Books

Print book, meet audio book. The permanently attached VOX Reader transforms an ordinary print book into an all-in-one read-along. There's no need for computers, tablets, or CDs. Simply push a button to listen and read.
 
 

Available to Checkout for Use at the Library

  • Puzzles - Ask for the puzzle book at the desk.  You can browse through the pictures of each puzzle to choose which you would like to check out.
  • Art Kits
  • Legos 

Programs


1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Read to your child to build a foundation for success! The library will help you with 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, a program that will help you keep track of how many books you've read to your baby, toddler, or preschooler, and has fun incentives or prizes when you reach milestone levels like 100, 200, 300, etc. Find out more here.


Story Time

  • 9:30 a.m.
  • Thursdays
  • Babies to 6-year olds
Stories, rhymes, and songs with Vonnie. Our story time lady is Vonnie Hoskins, and her love for kids is obvious as she works with them. We hope you will  join us on Facebook Live during these times!

Be ready for developmentally appropriate activities that will help lay the groundwork for reading readiness. It will be a chance for your child to begin to develop large and small motor coordination, language, and listening skills.

Summer Reading Program

Annual events for our youngest are the Summer Reading Program for children and the Summer Reading Program for babies. The Independence Public Library encourages interactive play and reading for babies. For children, reading or being read to for 20 minutes or more each day is the goal. This helps children to keep their reading skills up over the summer months!  There are prizes and incentives to motivate the readers along the way.

Other Programs

Other programs are author talks, artist showcases, special speakers or interactive programs, make and take craft days, etc.  See a few upcoming programs below or click on View All to see a more complete list of children's upcoming programs.