ABSTRACT
Children’s services in libraries began at the end of the nineteenth century in the United States and were well-institutionalized by the 1950s. Service to children from birth to age 12 or 14 is now understood to be a standard element of public library operations. This entry looks at the nature of those services, the education and work of children’s librarians, and some emerging challenges and issues. The focus is on contemporary services to children in the United States. However, a brief discussion of international approaches to the field is also provided.
