One of the library’s distinguished collections is the Children’s or Juvenile collection located in a sunny corner on the third floor of the library. The 6,000 plus book collection is kept in it’s own special section, distinct from the regular collection, so that it is convenient to browse. Young and old alike will enjoy books written for children from preschool through twelfth grade.

These books have been selected with the primary goal of supporting courses in children’s literature and reading instruction for teacher education, but patrons from the community of any age will enjoy the quality of the selections. Fiction and nonfiction titles are carefully selected by librarians and faculty from awards lists, professional bibliographies, and standard review journals.

Because Sul Ross’s first mission was (and is!) to educate teachers, the
Children’s Collection has historically been seen as a valuable part of the larger collection. The entry describing the library in the 1926-27 College Bulletin reports that “one feature of the library invaluable to teachers is the collection of literature for children.”

Supported by the Department of Languages and Literature and the Library, it has many of the major English language children’s authors of the twentieth century represented on its shelves. This includes Caldecott and Newberry award winners old and new as well as many books that are on the American Library Association’s Banned Books listings.

Newest additions to the Juvenile collection include:

A Wrinkle in time	I’ll give you the sun
The crossover	The adventures of Beekle

Titles are added continuously. Check the library’s New Acquisition’s page to see what’s new!

The Bryan Wildenthal Memorial Library is free and open to the public. SRSU affiliates may use their university IDs to check out materials. Members of the Brewster County Community may purchase a Community Borrowers Card to check out materials and receive other library benefits.