The children's CD ROM collection is popular with children, students, caregivers, teachers, and parents. We currently circulate 452 items in the children's CD ROM collection. There are three formats: Windows, Macintosh, and Windows/Macintosh Hybrid. The collection was established in the late 1990's. Many titles from the collection are often checked out because they are so popular. The CD ROMs circulate for seven days, with one renewal available.

The children's section of the Appleton Public Library has been fortunate in developing a circulating collection of children's CD ROMs. The collection has been developed with the needs of all users of the children's collection. There are titles for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary students and upper elementary students. The foundation of the collection is based on education and learning.

Last summer the children's section placed a focus on increasing the collection of materials aimed specifically at the baby, toddler and preschool child. These titles were purchased with a grant from the Appleton Public Library Foundation. In the fall of the year, the children's section purchased a number of titles for school age children. Children's services builds the collection in response to the input from the children's services staff concerning the pattern of specific needs which we see emerge from questions and inquiries we receive from our community.

One goal of the collection is to provide information to school age children that will enable them to answer homework questions and do research. Another goal is to provide materials that enable children and students to practice the basic educational fundamentals that they need to learn for added success in school and lifetime learning. With this goal in mind, a grant was written and awarded by the Appleton Public Library Foundation to purchase 28 math specific titles for the children's CD ROM