With kids having access to digital media at earlier ages, how do parents ensure that the content is kid-appropriate? Many of Canton Public Library’s e-media services have Kids Mode or filter options to help parents and their kids find age-appropriate content.
There’s also the added benefit that our digital materials return themselves when they’re due, and many (Hoopla, Kanopy and Comics Plus) don’t have holds lists.
Libby
Libby has three ways to limit materials for kids: collections, audience categories, and content controls.
Collections (web only): If you’re on OverDrive on a computer (the web version of Libby), you can select Kids along the top of the screen to view the Kids collection. This is a visually appealing way for kids to browse juvenile-only materials on Libby.
Audience Categories (app only): If you’re on the Libby app, you can set the audience category by tapping the hamburger menu on the top-left of the Search or Library page to open the filter options. Scroll down to the Audience section, select juvenile and select Show Titles to bring up a list of kids’ titles, beginning with those coming soon.
Content Controls: If you want to allow your child some freedom with browsing materials, you can set content controls on your Libby account. Start by tapping the Libby icon at the bottom-center of your app. Scroll down to Content Controls and tap to open the settings. Tap the child icon to hide materials tagged as general or mature content.
You can also set a passkey to prevent your littles from accidentally turning off Kids mode. Make note, though, that Libby for Kids doesn’t hide materials on your shelf or your tags, so refer to this Libby Help article for additional tips on ensuring kids only discover content for them.
Kanopy
Kanopy offers a Kids collection and PIN-enabled parental controls to ensure kids are viewing age-appropriate content. The best part is that Kanopy Kids has unlimited plays, so kids can watch every episode of Arthur without using up a single ticket.
To access the Kanopy Kids collection, just click Kids at the top-right of the screen. To set the Parental Controls PIN, click your user icon at the top-right corner of the screen. If you’re in the Kids Collection, click About Kanopy Kids and then follow the instructions for setting a PIN.
If you’re in the regular Kanopy collection, click your user icon at the top-right corner of the screen, and then click My Account. Go to the Parental Controls tab to set your PIN.
Hoopla
Hoopla’s Kids Mode is convenient for parents who want to let their kids browse and select materials without supervision. All you have to do is turn on Kids Mode and set a PIN so it can’t be accidentally turned off, and you can have peace of mind that the materials discovered and accessed are for the correct age group.
Follow the simple instructions in our Hoopla Kids Mode blog to learn how to turn this setting on and off.
Comics Plus
Comics Plus has lots of great kids’ content, but it requires a bit more hands-on effort from adults since there’s no kids' mode. So when using Comics Plus, it is best that materials are selected with adult supervision to ensure kids don’t accidentally change the age settings.
To find comics and graphic novels that are kid-appropriate, tap Popular in the bottom-left corner of the app, and then tap Filter at the top-right corner. Under the age category, tap Any to reveal the options. Then select the category that best meets your young reader's needs.
Unlike most media that have three age categories (children, teens, adults), ComicsPlus has six. To learn the differences between the age categories, read the Comics Plus Age-Appropriate Guidelines.
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