Find The Best in Children's Literature at Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Looking for books about peace and justice for middle schoolers? Or grief and loss for elementary age children? Or maybe you just want to know what’s current in young adult literature or what the top children’s picture book illustrators are producing.

One of the best kept secrets in Madison, Wisconsin is the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), located on the University of Wisconsin campus.

CCBC open to the public

The CCBC is most heavily used by school and public librarians, teachers, and university students. However, the facility was originally designed to embody “the Wisconsin idea” which, as CCBC director Katheen Horning explains, means “the boundaries of the University [of Wisconsin] are the boundaries of the state.” Thus anyone may use the CCBC’s facilities.

No pass or I.D. is required at the CCBC, and drop-in visits are welcome. However, for individuals with unique research needs, the staff prefers to be contacted ahead of time so they can be prepared to offer assistance.

The best and newest in children’s and young adult literature

While the the CCBC’s books are not available for checkout, its collection is huge and can be accessed in-house. The Current Collection is a revolving compilation that holds thousands of books published within the past 18 months. The Basic Collection is an ever-growing archive of the best of the Current Collection as those books are aged out. Twice a year the Friends of the CCBC holds a fund-raising sale offering books that have been withdrawn from the two collections.

Under the direction of Horning, the CCBC offers reference services by phone, email, or in person. Staff members also offer tours, book discussions, continuing education opportunities with hands-on workshops and distance learning options, and free public lectures.

One easily accessible service encompasses the CCBC's ever-growing online list of themed books, organized by age category. The staff has researched and provides descriptions of books on topics ranging from science and sports to family life and multiculturalism.

It’s not just teachers and librarians who make use of the CCBC’s extensive collection of books for children. The popular author of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and Kitten’s First Full Moon, author/illustrator Kevin Henkes, spent many hours studying the best of the best at the CCBC during his college years, according to Horning. When he was ready to head to New York at age 19 with his portfolio, he knew exactly which publishing houses he wanted to approach. He had done his homework. And it paid off. Henkes has published more than 30 books, many of them award-winners.

The CCBC is also home to the original manuscript for Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game. According to Horning, the author was not interested in having the document in a sterile, museum-like setting. Raskin specifically requested that her manuscript be made available to anyone wishing to study it, children and adults alike.

Enthusiasts wanting to know what's new in the world of children's books can stay connected via the CCBC-net listserv and weekly podcasts.

For more info: 

The CCBC is located at: 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park Street, Madison, WI
Telephone: 608-263-3720
Email: ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu
Website: www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/