Parent's Guide
Children of all ages are welcome to enjoy our collections, services and events. Here is some helpful information for parents with minor children.
Children in the Library
Our 13 branches offer warm, welcoming spaces for kids to enjoy, along with many educational and entertaining events. However, staff cannot provide supervision or be responsible for children in the library.
Children age 7 and younger must have a parent or caregiver nearby and within visual contact. That person must be at least 12 years old and carrying emergency contact information.
Children age 8 and older may use the library on their own. Even if they are not present, parents are responsible for their children’s actions and well-being. Anyone of any age who is disruptive to patrons or staff may be asked to leave.
Youth Cards
Children of any age may have their own library cards for checking out items or using our digital collections. Read about the options for Youth cards.
Collections
CADL has everything kids love to read, watch, and listen to, in a wide variety of formats. Many reference and education resources—both physical and digital—are available in our catalog. Find additional online resources on our dedicated Learn site. The Library of Things, Jr collection offers many unique items available for checkout by all ages.
Please note that items in our collections represent many experiences and points of view. Staff does not monitor the types of information children may find in the library, or restrict checkout of items based on age.
Internet Access
The internet allows people of all ages to access ideas, information and commentary. Some of this content may be inaccurate, offensive or inappropriate for children.
Although we cannot ensure that a child visiting the library will not access content a parent disapproves of, CADL offers public computers with filtered internet access. In compliance with Michigan law, anyone under age 18 is assigned this type of computer, meant to protect them from obscene or explicit material.
It’s important that parents never allow someone else to use their child’s card for computer access, or to let their child use someone else’s card.