Children’s Department

About Our Children’s Department

The Manchester Community Library’s children’s department, the Kids Barn, provides a full range of print and digital resources, including books and e-books, audiobooks, and DVDs, suitable for children from infancy through age twelve; specialty programming, weekly story times, and after-school events; and services for parents, educators, child care providers, and other adults or agencies working with children.

Have a question about our children’s department? Get in touch with us by calling 802-362-2607 or by emailing

Caroline “Carrie” Gutbier our Children’s and Youth Services Librarian cgutbier@mclvt.org

Fun and Reading

Explore great books, award winners, and educational games for kids.

Reading and Research Resources

Award Winners

  • ALA Notable Awards: Each year the Association for Library Service to Children identifies the best of the best in children’s books.
  • Caldecott Book Awards: The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
  • Newbery Book Awards: The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished American book for children.
  • Red Clover Book Award: The Red Clover Award promotes the reading and discussion of the best of contemporary picture books in nearly all of Vermont’s elementary schools. Each year over 20,000 K-4 students read, or have read to them, the ten nominated books.
  • Vermont Book Awards: A literary prize that honors work of outstanding literary merit by Vermont authors and celebrates the long tradition of literature in the state.
  • Vermont Middle Grade Book Award: Each year since 1957, Vermont students in grades four through eight have selected their favorite book from a list of 30 nominees.

Fun Games

More digital resources are available on our Online Resources page.

Events for Kids

For Parents and Educators

Info for Parents and Educators

  • Connect Safely: Safety tips, parents’ guidebooks, advice, news, and commentary on all aspects of tech use and policy, safety, privacy, and security.
  • Digital Education Guide: The nonprofit Sprocket has worked with a local library and school to put together a Digital Education Resource Guide. It focuses on software, websites, resources, and ideas to help with digital learning.
  • Education Week: America’s most trusted source of independent K-12 education news, analysis, and opinion.
  • Education World: Complete online resource for teachers, administrators and school staff, offering K-12 education news, classroom-ready tools, and in-depth original content.
  • Great Websites for Parents, Caregivers, Teachers, and Others: This collection of links from the Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC) features exceptional websites for teachers, parents, and caregivers.
  • Inspiring Middle School Literacy: Find teaching guides and self-paced lessons for blended learning that will help struggling readers build literacy skills. Students will find videos, interactives, and more to help them develop more advanced note taking, reading, and writing skills.
  • K-12 Music Education Resources: Library of Congress published a comprehensive bibliographic guide to K-12 Music Education Resources at the Library of Congress. The LOC Music Division staff developed this guide in response to music education and performances moving online.
  • MCL Pathfinders: Pathfinders are topic-specific guides, curated by MCL librarians, which offer a combination of recommended books and web resources. The MCL has two pathfinders related to schooling: Early Literacy, Early Numeracy, Homeschooling, and Mindfulness for Youth. Our librarians have also created shorter guides for kids and teenagers which offer enriching online activities not directly related to academics.
  • Partnerships for Literacy and Learning: Free and low-cost learning opportunities for parents who are homeschooling their children. The first in the series is: Establishing Routines for Reading/Writing at Home. Watch this thirty-minute video at no cost to learn from Ellen Thompson about routines when teaching Reading & Writing.
  • PBS Distance Learning and PBS Parents: Vermont Public Broadcasting System (PBS), DISH Network, and the Agency of Education (AOE) have expanded their partnership to support continuity of learning for Vermont students and school communities this fall. This partnership provides access to free educational programming, curricular connections, and distance learning tutorials through Vermont PBS Distance Learning. Visit these websites for weekly thematic bundles with educational programming, curricular connections, and distance learning tutorials through Vermont PBS Distance Learning and PBS Parents. The Schedule of Vermont PBS Programs for the months of September and October, 2020, is now available.
  • PBS Educators: PBS website for teaching inspiration, blogs, events, resources, and fresh ideas.