Children's Literature at USC Libraries
Children's books are in the Juvenile Collection of Thomas Cooper Library (Level 1), the Irvin Dept. of Rare Books & Special Collections, the South Caroliniana Library, the Library Annex and online.
As you search, keep in mind older children's books might not have any subject terms at all while others may include "juvenile literature," "juvenile fiction" or "juvenile works" to help distinguish them. The tools on the Selection Aids page of this guide can help you identify books by topic. The Award Winners page has some built in searches of our collections.
After opening the Find It searches below:
- Use the Location filter > Columbia Cooper-Juvenile for books you can request and check out.
- Select Available Online under the Availability filter to limit to online sources.
- Add another line to narrow results. Searching with synonyms on the same line? Be sure to capitalize OR between the words and phrases on the same line.
Creating your own searches for children's books? Two strategies to narrow your results
- Use the Location filter > Columbia Cooper-Juvenile
- Add "juvenile fiction" OR "juvenile literature" OR "juvenile works" to an Advanced Search
Want to find articles and other information aimed at a particular age group? Use the K-12 databases.
Reading Options
Sign in and Request. You are welcome to browse the children's collection on level 1 or you can request books ahead of time. Within 24 hours someone will get the books and have them held for you at the Checkout Desk. You will receive an email once the books are ready.
Make an appointment to use books in a special collection. Access is by appointment only. Users are asked to register and request materials in advance.
Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library
Details on the Irvin Department's webpage.
South Caroliniana Library,South Caroliniana Library
Details on the South Caroliniana Library's webpage
Online Books
- Find It @USC search for Online Children's LiteratureSearched for "juvenile fiction" OR "juvenile literature" OR "juvenile works" and filtered for Available Online
Narrow your results by adding to the search: author or illustrator name, keywords, language, change the dates.
- TumbleBooks Library This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Contains read-aloud storybooks, chapter books, graphic novels, songs, and National Geographic videos. Books are available in English, Spanish, and French. For access outside of SC, you may need to contact the library for current DISCUS login details. - Teen Book Cloud This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Includes ebooks, read along chapter books, graphic novels, videos, and audiobooks aimed at grades 7-12. For access outside of SC, you may need to contact the library for current DISCUS login details.
- Classic Books [Library of Congress]Freely available. Read any of these classic titles online.
Browsing the Juvenile Collection, Thomas Cooper Library Level 1
Books in the Juvenile Collection (Thomas Cooper Library, Level 1) are arranged by Library of Congress call numbers, just like the general collection. Get some ideas on what call letters represent your chosen topic with this outline of Library of Congress classification and go browse the shelves!
*Note: Fiction books in the Juvenile Collection are the exception to the rules and have their own Library of Congress classifications which include some of the following:
PZ 7 – Most children’s and young adult fiction is organized starting with this call number and is placed in order by the author’s last name.
PZ 8, PZ8.1, PZ8.2 traditional fairy tales, folklore, fables
PZ 10.3 – Animal stories
Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library
Access is by appointment only. Users are asked to register and request materials in advance. Details on the department's webpage.
- Augusta Baker Collection of African-American Children's Literature & FolkloreThe Baker Collection brings to the library over 1600 children's books, together with papers and illustrative material reflecting her pivotal role in the field of children's librarianship.
- Graham-Kennett Collection of Children's LiteratureIncludes award winning books from many different countries, classics, poetry, fairy and folk tales, multi-cultural books, biographies, non-fiction books, and many first editions as well as books and periodicals about children’s and young adult literature
- Little-Myerson Collection of Multi-Cultural Children’s LiteratureIncludes children’s books from and about northern Africa and the Middle East, Oceania, Asia, and the Pacific Rim, 19th and early 20th century books and periodicals, a significant number of geographic series books, books about the folk-lore and art of the countries represented, and a large collection of illustrated editions of The Arabian Nights.
- French Language Children's BooksThis digital collection entails a selection of French language children’s books from the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.
- Maurice Sendak and Leroy Richmond collection of correspondenceContains letters, illustrations and other items created by Maurice Sendak, (American children's books author and illustrator) and sent to his friend, Leroy “Eero” Richmond. Sendak was an American Children's book author and illustrator best known for Caldecott Medal Winners, "Where the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen."
Nearby Collections
- South Carolina Center for Community LiteracyThe center is the state’s designated examination site for new children’s and YA books available to the public. In addition, staff provides a range of outreach activities that address literacy issues in SC communities.
- Richland Library catalogAfter doing a search there are a variety of limits for different types of books (children's picture books, teen non-fiction, etc.) or you can narrow the search by target audience (juvenile, preschool, etc)
- Richland Library, Register for a CardUSC students can get a free card, no matter where you live. Find details and contact information.