The University Library holds many thousands of early children’s books amongst its copyright holdings. Most of its nineteenth and twentieth-century children’s books are in remarkably good condition having been considered ‘secondary’ when they first arrived.
All books before 1919 are listed in the iDiscover catalogue, as are those from the 1990s onwards. Most children’s books from the mid-20th century are listed in the card catalogues located near the main Reading Room. Staff members are happy to help identify this material.
Nearly all children’s books published before 1976 are fetched to the Rare Books Reading Room. Children’s books from the mid-1970s onwards will be fetched to the main Reading Room and the online record will tell you where to request material..
Specific collections of interest include the Chapbooks collection, CCA-E.7, which includes around 1500 early children’s books and the Waddleton collection of colour printed books which includes large numbers of picture books; and theChadwyck-Healey Liberation Collection 1944-1946 (c. 400 French-language titles, often illustrated, mainly produced in France and Belgium at the end of the Second World War).
Access
All University Library readers can use the Rare Books department. If you are a member of the University you are automatically eligible to use the University Library.
Contact us
Rare Books Department, University Library, West Road, CB3 9DR
Collection
Access
Rare Books Department, University Library, West Road, CB3 9DR
01223 333122
