| Children's Concept Books |
The concept book collection consists of selected picture books organized into popular and frequently requested subject areas. Subjects include having a new baby in the family, learning to use the potty, and getting used to school or daycare. The collection also includes Caldecott Medal winners, alphabet and counting books, and books in Spanish. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
| Documentaries |
A collection of documentaries, many of them Academy Award-winning or - nominated, complements our feature and non-fiction DVDs. Documentaries circulate for 7 days, with no reserves or renewals; please return documentaries directly to the Waterford Public Library.
| Great Courses |
The Great Courses are a series of educational lectures delivered by highly-respected college professors. The courses presented cover such subjects as fine arts, religion, history, science, and literature in an engaging and entertaining way designed to stimulate and inform lifelong learners.
Great Courses are available on audio CD as well as on DVD. The DVD collection contains lectures on topics such as fine art, math, and science, which are more likely to require illustrations and diagrams for comprehension. Great Courses on CD circulate for 14 days; Great Courses on DVD circulate for 21 days.
| Historical |
The purpose of the Historical Collection is to maintain, and to make available for reference use, relatively scarce books and other documents relating to the history of Waterford, southeastern Connecticut as a region, and Connecticut in general.
Waterford: The library maintains a collection of documents that record significant historical events, town annual reports, high school yearbooks, books by or about past and present town residents.
Southeastern Connecticut: The library maintains materials that treat the history of this region, but will generally not acquire for the Historical Collection histories of specific towns other than Waterford. Exceptions might be histories of localities written by Waterford residents or containing significant information about a resident.
Connecticut: The library includes in the Historical Collection books and documents on state history that are relatively scarce or which have become recognized as “classics” in state history.
The Historical Collection includes several histories of Connecticut towns that do not meet the above criteria for inclusion. For the present, such histories may remain in the Historical Collection. However, in the future, the library will not obtain similar books for the Historical Collection.
The Historical Collection is primarily for reference use. In general, materials are to be used in the library only. The major exception is the collection of slide/tape and oral history kits that may be checked out of the library. A minor exception would be that town officials may borrow, for limited periods of time, reports and other items related to their work, such as in their review of municipal budget requests or in the planning of new services or facilities.
| Homeschooling |
This collection can help people decide whether homeschooling is right for them and give homeschoolers the information and tools they need to be successful. Included are manuals and textbooks as well as homeschooling guides for every age group. Whether you are just considering homeschooling, have been teaching your own children at home for years, or want to enhance your child's in-school experience, this is where you can find help, advice and fresh ideas.
| Playaways |
The collection includes Playaways for adults, teens and children. About the size and weight of an iPod, each playaway is pre-loaded with the digital content of an entire audiobook. Along with easy navigation between chapters and automatic bookmarking, Playaways also offer controls to change narration speed and clarity. Playaways are portable and easy to use: you provide your own headphones and AAA-battery, and we provide the rest! Playaways circulate for 14 days, with one renewal, and can be reserved; please return Playaways directly to the Waterford Public Library.
| Red Hot Reads |
RED HOT READS is a collection of new books and bestsellers that are available on a first-come,first-served basis. The collection is designed for people who want to read the latest popular new books without having to wait. RED HOT READS circulate for 7 days with no renewals and no holds allowed. Additional copies of all books in this collection are also in our NEW BOOKS collection and may be placed on hold, renewed and borrowed for the regular loan period.
| Spanish-language |
Created to meet the needs of both native Spanish speakers and people continuing their Spanish-language education, this collection consists of many popular and classic titles of fiction, non-fiction, and biography. Titles circulate for 21 days.
| Travel |
The travel collection consists of state and country guidebooks essential in the planning of any trip or getaway. A sub-section of the travel collection includes phrasebooks, audiobooks, informational DVDs, and Playaways to be used when learning a language. Travel books and DVDs circulate for 21 days; travel audiobooks and playaways circulate for 14 days. Playaways may be reserved with one renewal, and must be returned directly to the Waterford Public Library.