Children & Young People
Every library has a bright and welcoming children’s section with storybooks for all ages and information books to help with homework and leisure interests.
There are no overdue charges if you forget to bring your books back on time!
FREE fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels
FREE computer use and internet access
FREE e-books and e-audio books
FREE books to support dyslexia
Events and activities in the library and online
Summer Reading Challenge
Friendly, helpful library staff
Somewhere safe to meet friends
Libraries for Babies & Toddlers
You're never too young to join the library. Babies and toddlers really are welcome in libraries even if they are sometimes restless and noisy.
Your local library has a range of books for babies and toddlers including board books – some with sound and different textures to appeal to the senses, picture books, nursery rhymes and books in Welsh. Don’t let the fear of your children and babies damaging books stop you from joining the library! Board books are very sturdy, and we do understand that there will be some wear and tear!
We also have lots going on in the libraries for babies and toddlers. Our libraries run baby-friendly activities and events throughout the year.
For more information on what’s happening in our libraries, head over to our Events & Activities page.
Bookstart
Bookstart is a national programme co-ordinated by Booktrust to encourage families to visit the library and share the joys of reading and looking at books with babies and toddlers. You should receive your bilingual Bookstart Baby Pack in your baby’s first year, and your bilingual Bookstart Early Years Pack at around 27 months. Both packs will be given by your Health Visitor.
Inspire a love of books and reading with your child, to give them a flying start in life! If you haven't received your Bookstart or Early Years pack, ask your health visitor or your local library. For more information visit the Bookstart website.
Pre-School Children
We have hundreds of picture books for toddlers and pre-school children to choose from, books about everyday situations such as going to playgroup or a visit to the doctor, books with songs, nursery rhymes, number, colour, dual language books; books to share at bedtime, anytime!
To view our songs & rhymes for babies and toddlers, click the button below.
Libraries for 5 - 12-year-olds
We want children to enjoy libraries and learn to love books from an early age.
We stock books of all kinds, rhymes and poetry, factual books on just about every subject you can imagine and not forgetting joke books!
Beginner readers will find a wide variety of easy-to-read books.
Fluent readers are spoilt for choice, there are stories to suit all tastes from Wimpy Kid to Jacqueline Wilson, from the classics to new novels from the best of today’s children’s authors.
Every library has a range of non-fiction books too, to help with your homework, learn magic tricks to amaze your family and friends, find out fantastic facts or read poetry and tell jokes.
We know that dyslexia can make it much harder to enjoy a good book! We want to help everyone to love books and stories, and we have a range of formats to help you find your own way of reading. Click here for more information.
If we don’t have what you want in your local branch, we will try our best to get it for you.
We also have lots going on in the libraries for children. Libraries run clubs, activities and events throughout the year.
One very special event for children that we run every year is
The Summer Reading Challenge.
The Summer Reading Challenge takes place in libraries every year during the summer holidays. It’s great fun and is a highlight of the holiday for thousands of children, but it also helps ensure reading skills don’t dip over the long summer break. Children who take part in the Challenge return to school in September as more fluent, confident, and happy readers.
Taking part is easy and it’s totally FREE. The aim of the Challenge is for children to read six or more library books of their choice over the course of the summer and into September. They can read any books they like - fact books, stories, joke books, picture books – audio books and e-books too! As long as they are borrowed from the library, they all count.
There are stickers and other rewards to collect along the way, and it’s all FREE.
To find out more about the Summer Reading Challenge, or for more information on what’s happening in our libraries, head over to our Events & Activities page.
Libraries for Teenagers & Young Adults
A library provides the perfect environment for revision and homework, although we can’t guarantee total quiet! Staff are on hand to help you find all the books and resources that you need to help you with all aspects of your homework and revision.
If you are a member of the library, you can use computers which have free internet access. We also have printing and photocopying facilities available for a small charge.
Children under 16 can only use our public internet computers with their parent’s consent. If you would like your child to use this service, you will need to sign a parental consent form in the library. Your child will be given an Internet Club card which they must show every time they use a computer, along with their library card.
You can fill out the form at your local library.
Libraries for Teachers, Playgroups & Parents
Information for Teachers
Teachers are encouraged to bring classes along to their local library so that children can join and borrow books regularly. Class visits can also be arranged to focus on basic information skills enabling the children to find their way around the library and access information quickly and easily.
Contact your local library to arrange a visit.
Each member of primary and special school teaching staff is also entitled to a school library card, which will allows them to borrow up to 20 junior books for a whole term. The cards are registered to the school address, and the school is responsible for the books.
For more information, speak to your headteacher or contact your local library.
Playgroups, Cylchoedd Meithrin, Parent & Toddler Groups and Childcare Facilities
Powys Library Service has a wide range of books suitable for pre-school children and actively encourages playgroups to borrow books with a playgroup library card. This card enables playgroups to borrow up to 30 books for 90 days.
Contact your local library for more details.