Collections of kids books now online at library

One word often associated with libraries is "quiet."

Quiet aisles.

Quiet sitting areas.

Even doors seem to close with an understood need for silence.

Libraries have long been society's quiet and unobtrusive constant.

From the prestige of the Great Library of Alexandria in ancient Greece, open to the intellectual elite, to the first public libraries built for the working class in England, to preschool reading programs throughout the United States, libraries have evolved to fit the needs of their environments.

Today's libraries are no different. And, having recently acquired the collections of TumbleBooks and TumbleReadables, the Villa Park Public Library continues to shape itself as an engaging resource for the community.

TumbleBooks and TumbleReadables online libraries provide parents and young readers with a vast index of titles, from picture books to Shakespeare, all readable online and all available with read-along audio. Villa Park patrons can access them online at www.villapark.lib.il.us,

"This allows kids to go at their own pace," said Sandra Hill, the library's director.

Targeting young readers with titles like "Pirates Don't Change Diapers" and "The Paper Bag Princess," the TumbleBooks library index also offers educational games and puzzles, as well as an extensive list of stories in French, Spanish and Russian.

TumbleReadables, for early elementary- through high school-age readers, offer both fiction and nonfiction from categories such as children's classics, chapter books and young adult/teen.

The titles are varied and include contemporary works and long-time staples such as "Tom Sawyer," "Treasure Island," "War of the Worlds" and "Jane Eyre."

TumbleReadables aren't just for entertainment, however. With accompanying audio narration, adjustable font size and highlighted text, TumbleReadables also promotes itself as a nice alternative for struggling or reluctant readers and a resource for English as a Second Language learners, too.

The services, though free to the public, were not inexpensive to acquire. The library received funds needed to purchase them through the Library Integrated Network Consortium, of which Villa Park is a member, and from Villa Park Kiwanis.

Hill is grateful for the generosity.

"It takes off the burden of some costs," she said, adding that she plans to contact local schools to introduce them to this unique and innovative access to literacy.

To encourage community interest, the library's Youth Services Department has set up one online station exclusively for TumbleBooks and TumbleReadables.

"This empowers a child to make selections and enjoy books in a new way," Hill said.

By tapping into the technological savvy of youth in a market competing for their attention, the Villa Park library continues to evolve within the environment of its own community.