The Alternative Press Collection

The Alternative Press Collection is a comprehensive collection of children's books published by small presses in the United States and Canada since 1972. For the purposes of acquisition, the CCBC has defined alternative press as "a small, independent publisher, unaffiliated with national or multinational corporations or organizations, whose major function is book publication."

The CCBC Alternative Press Collection currently contains more than 1700 titles published since 1970 by 325 alternative presses in the United States and Canada. This non-circulating collection includes all in-print and out-of-print titles identified by the Special Collections Coordinator at the CCBC, making it the largest collection of alternative press children's books in the United States.

Books in the CCBC's Alternative Press Collection are organized by publisher. All titles included can be found on the on-line catalog of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Electronic Library, MADCAT. To limit a Madcat search to CCBC holdings, click on the "set limits' button on the main search screen, scroll down to the "location" drop down menu, and highlight "Cooperative Children's Book Center."

The Alternative Press Collection is as rich and diverse as any collection of children's books. It includes all genres: picture books, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, folklore and drama. Quality ranges from poor to outstanding, just as it does with the books from corporate publishers. What makes many alternative press books distinctive is their point of view. Within the CCBC Alternative Press Collection, one finds a variety of perspectives and ideas, as well as types of information otherwise unavailable to children and teens.

Because of the CCBC's strong interest in multicultural literature, we keep a record of small presses owned and operated by people of color. Click here for an up-to-date list of names and addresses of these presses which publish one or more books for children.

We are always on the alert for books and publishers to add to our collection. If you know of a small press you think we should know about, or have additional information to share, please e-mail us!

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	Collections Hours Location Staff Bios Governance Overview of Services Giving to the CCBC Contact Us The Alternative Press Collection The Alternative Press Collection is a comprehensive collection of children's books published by small presses in the United States and Canada since 1972. For the purposes of acquisition, the CCBC has defined alternative press as "a small, independent publisher, unaffiliated with national or multinational corporations or organizations, whose major function is book publication." The CCBC Alternative Press Collection currently contains more than 1700 titles published since 1970 by 325 alternative presses in the United States and Canada. This non-circulating collection includes all in-print and out-of-print titles identified by the Special Collections Coordinator at the CCBC, making it the largest collection of alternative press children's books in the United States. Books in the CCBC's Alternative Press Collection are organized by publisher. All titles included can be found on the on-line catalog of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Electronic Library, MADCAT. To limit a Madcat search to CCBC holdings, click on the "set limits' button on the main search screen, scroll down to the "location" drop down menu, and highlight "Cooperative Children's Book Center." The Alternative Press Collection is as rich and diverse as any collection of children's books. It includes all genres: picture books, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, folklore and drama. Quality ranges from poor to outstanding, just as it does with the books from corporate publishers. What makes many alternative press books distinctive is their point of view. Within the CCBC Alternative Press Collection, one finds a variety of perspectives and ideas, as well as types of information otherwise unavailable to children and teens. Because of the CCBC's strong interest in multicultural literature, we keep a record of small presses owned and operated by people of color. Click here for an up-to-date list of names and addresses of these presses which publish one or more books for children. We are always on the alert for books and publishers to add to our collection. If you know of a small press you think we should know about, or have additional information to share, please e-mail us!