Children's Services

Summer at the library is for reading, sure, but that's only part of it.  We have all kinds of activites planned to engage you and your children when you stop by for a visit.  Check out our full events page, or our daily events calendar to see what's in store.

We know that reading during the summer is important to a child's reading and learning success, but this has to be a part of a variety of engaging learning opportunities.  And fun!  At your library you'll find hands-on craft activites, fabulous magic and theatrical performances, and--in the spirit of this year's

 Summer Reading Challenge - Paws to Read

Your child does not have to lose her or his reading skills over the summer. Studies have shown that by reading just 20 minutes a day, a child retains, and can even increase, reading levels. We once again offer two fabulous grand prizes: one family membership in Children's Fairyland (ages 0-4) and one iPad (ages 5-14). 

Our 2014 Summer Reading Challenge runs from June 14 through August 9. See our blog from last week for suggestions for books to read on this year's theme. 

How to Play

1. Sign up

If you've ever uttered the words "I have this great idea for a children's book!", you're in good company. And bad company. And, well, just lots of company. Seems like just about everyone is trying their hand at writing children's books these days, and thanks to the plethora of self-publishing platforms that exist, it's never been easier to turn that gleam in your imagination into a real, honest-to-goodness book.

Which is not to say that it's easy. In many ways, self-publishing is more difficult than the traditional method of working with an established publisher. The question I hear most in my role as children's collection management librarian for Oakland Public Library is "how do I get my book into your library?" It's a complicated answer,

Is your baby having trouble sleeping through the night?  Is breastfeeding not going well?  How and when do you introduce food to babies?  What are the appropriate developmental stages babies go through and when should babies go through them?  Can babies learn sign language?  And, of course, a topic close to my heart, how do you read to a baby?

Raising a baby is hard work and we are here to help.  Last month I highlighted  some of the programs we offer babies and their families.  This month, we look at some of the materials we offer.  All of Oakland's libraries have parenting books, magazines and DVDs that can help you figure out how to best care for a baby and answer any questions you might have.  In fact, we have parenting materials for all ages of children and all kinds of families.   Just go to our home page at