The Children's Literature Department

Located on Level Two (L2) of the Goodhue Building: Department Layout

Phone: (213) 228-7250  |  Fax: (213) 228-7259  |  E-mail (form)

Department Staff

• Judy Sanchez-Moorhead, Department Manager (213) 228-7281
• Madeline Bryant, Senior Librarian (213) 228-7251

Photos

Photographs of the Children's Literature Department.

Programs

Calendar of events.

Materials & Collections

Surrounded by the acclaimed California History Murals by the internationally recognized artist Albert Herter, the Children’s Literature Department is a multimedia center bustling with programs, storytellers, computer whizzes and readers of all ages. Children, parents, teachers, scholars, librarians and entertainment professionals are drawn to the 250,000 books housed in the department. With the most fairytales west of the Mississippi, an historical array of Mother Goose books and a nationally recognized collection of Californiana, the Department is a magnet for thousands of school children who come from all over the Southland on field trips or with their parents.

The Children’s Literature Department is a “library within a library” serving the children of Los Angeles. The Department is a comprehensive resource collection emphasizing history and criticism of children’s literature, fiction, picture books, poetry, fairytales, biographies, Native Americans, Pacific Rim and California. Audio tapes, CDs, videos, DVDs and a large body of materials in Spanish, help to make the Children’s Literature Department exciting to the ten million citizens living in the greater Los Angeles area.

Locally, the Department serves as a library for the downtown community with the librarians making school visits, providing homework help and working with teachers on curriculum assignments. Six times a week students are welcomed from all over Los Angeles for a field trip adventure that includes a tour of the historic Los Angeles Public Library building and a story time in the KLOS Story Theatre, situated in the Children’s Literature Department. Many more teachers bring their pupils on informal visits so that children can get library cards, check out books, and use the Computer Zone.

Programming helps to introduce the public to the resources at Central Library. Every Saturday at 2 p.m. the Children’s Literature Department sponsors a program that highlights part of the collection and promotes literature. Children and parents are delighted with the weekly puppet shows, storytellers, musicians, actors and magicians. Performances have celebrated holidays, multiculturalism and seasonal events.

With enthusiasm and a heartfelt desire to help we welcome you to the exciting Children’s Literature Department.

Special Collections

• International Language Picture Book Collection
  Sponsored by the Riordan Foundation, it is a historic collection of over 5,000 titles from more than fifty countries.
• Gladys English Collection
  The Gladys English Collection of Original Illustrations for Children’s Books was gathered in 1962 by the California Library Association as a tribute to Gladys English, the former Coordinator of Children’s Services at Los Angeles Public Library. The pieces, donated by illustrators and publishers, became the nucleus of a traveling exhibit designed to encourage appreciation of illustrated children’s books by the widest possible audience. Los Angeles Public Library applied for and was granted possession of the Collection in August, 1989. The collection now totals over 200 pieces.
  The artwork in the Collection represents some of the treasures of American children’s book illustration. The collection includes pieces from more than twenty artists who have won the prestigious Caldecott Medal, the award given annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children published during the preceding year. Numerous pieces are actual illustrations from Caldecott Medal books. In addition, artwork from the American Library Association’s Newbery and Coretta Scott King winners and Notable Books are represented in the collection. Annually the Association awards the Newbery Medal to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The Coretta Scott King Award is presented to African American authors and illustrators. The Notable Books are selected for their commendable quality and particular creativity.
• Mother Goose Collection
  Sponsored by Muriel P. and Gordon Bodek, this is an extensive collection of Mother Goose literature.