Children's Services

Every library has a children's area with:

• Books, including books in community languages
• Story CDs
• Music
• Magazines and comics
• Games and toys to play with in the library
  
  

Other resources available for children include:

• DVDs - which can be borrowed at all libraries
• PlayStation games and CD-roms to borrow and PlayStation to use in the library
  (NB: DVDs, PlayStation games and CD-roms can only be issued to parents and carers who are library members and aged 18 or over. Concessionary charges are not available on these items.)

Teens to help libraries choose books, music and computer games

At Islington Library and Cultural Services we encourage teenagers to get involved in choosing the stock that we put on our shelves.

Pick up a stock suggestion card and suggest titles or subjects/ genres for books, music and software.

For further information click the Teen Card Scheme link at the bottom of this page.

Children's, Teens and Parenting Magazines and Periodicals

Click on The link under Downloadable Documents below for a printable list of the magazines we take and where they can be found.

Under 5s and Under 3s

Baby Bounce story and action rhyme times run in all Islington libraries. Find out more by clicking on the link to 'Activities for Children Under 3 and Under 5' at the bottom of this page.

Pick up your free Bookstart packs from your health visitor (0-12 months), Children’s Centre (18-30 months) or nursery/ playgroup (36-48 months) and get your child into the reading and learning habit early!

Nappy changing facilities are also available at all libraries. Contact your local library for more details.

Toy Libraries

In partnership with Sure Start, we operate three Toy Libraries at the Mildmay, West and North Libraries.

These fun, strong, and safe toys will help young children learn all sorts of skills such as improving concentration, discovering shapes, colours and sizes, developing language and dexterity skills, creating imaginative stories and forming social skills such as becoming independent, sharing and learning from others. Parents can borrow up to three toys for three weeks, free of charge.

The toys can be borrowed at the following times:

• Mildmay Library: Mondays 11:30am - 1pm
• North Library: Tuesdays 11:30am - 1pm
• West Library: Wednesdays 11.30am - 1pm   (Term time only)

Click on the Toy Libraries link below for more information.

You can also contact Geoff James regarding the Toy Libraries.
Tel: 020 7527 6997

Study Support Clubs

Our three study support clubs are based at Archway, Finsbury and Mildmay Libraries. Study Support Club staff are on hand to help with homework and topic problems, give advice and help children access support websites and book collections. The clubs run in term-time and during half-term breaks. For details of the times, click on the Study Support Clubs link below.

Reading Groups

Our two children's and family reading groups give you the chance to talk about the books you enjoy reading. It's also a chance to meet others who are general reading fans like you. With their own special club book collections, occasional author visits and activities, these groups are very popular.

Orange Chatterbooks

N4 Library

This is a very popular family reading group aimed at young people aged between 7 and 14. The group meets about every six weeks on a Saturday morning from 10:30am - 12 noon. Come and plant bulbs, board the Polar Express, meet Mary Seacole or even go to China. Orange snacks are also provided. Why not check it out, along with your books, next time you're at N4 Library? Information on the next meeting is available from N4 staff.

West Library

West Library also has an Orange Chatterbooks children's group aimed at 7-12 year olds. It meets approximately every four weeks on Saturdays at 10am.

Parents and Special Needs Collections

The parents information collections cover everything from advice on bringing up your child to choosing a name for your newborn baby. Special needs information is aimed at children dealing with challenging concepts or moments in their lives, such as divorce, death, disability, or starting school.

Local Information

There is a section in all adult and children's libraries with advice and information on everday issues, often in the form of leaflets which can be taken away. Information for children and young people ranges from advice on health, education and child abuse to activities and events. We can also refer you to local groups and services.

Membership

Children can join the children's library on the day they are born! Parents or guardians just need to fill out and sign the membership card and the best thing is, of course, it's free to join. Children and young people can borrow:

• Seven books and four music items if you are 0-12 years
• Ten books and six music items if you are 13-17 years

Books can be borrowed for three weeks, music for two weeks.

If you have any comments or suggestions to make on the service we provide, please get in touch with your local library, (click on the link to the right, under Related Information, to find details of your nearest library), or contact:

Geoff James
Manager of Services to Children and Young People
Email: geoff.james@islington.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7527 6997