Lucile Clarke Memorial Children's Library

A page from Little Pets Linen ABC (circa 1850)

The Lucile Clarke Memorial Children’s Library was established in the Clarke Historical Library by Dr. Norman Clarke, Sr., in 1972, in honor of his wife. Since then, through significant gifts and purchases, it has grown into a world-class rare book library with works from the 16^th through the 21^st centuries. Of special interest is a large collection of early readers, primers, and textbooks printed between the 17^th through the 20^thcenturies. Among the holdings are pre-1820 American imprints; a nearly complete Peter Parley to Penrod collection; more than 700 pop-up and moveable books; a large and growing collection of international children’s books; and original art published in children’s books.

Individual book titles are discoverable through the library catalog and related manuscript and archival collections through our finding aid database. The original art is described in an in-house inventory.

1. Primary school readers, Sunday school books, primers, early textbooks, and several American textbook series. Examples printed in America before 1820 are of special interest. For more information about the schoolbooks, see the online bibliography.
2. Fairy tales and folk tales; picture books; ABC books; first editions and other high points of American and British “golden age” of children’s book illustration such as L. Frank Baum, Beatrix Potter, Lewis Carroll, Arthur Rackham, Maurice Sendak, Kate Greenaway, and many more.
3. International children’s books, many recognized by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).
4. A nearly complete collection of the books listed in the Peter Parley to Penrod bibliography.
5. More than 700 examples of moveable and pop-up books from the 19^th century to today.
6. More than 75 pieces of original art that were published children’s books.
7. International Children’s Books: Books nominated by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) for the Hans Christian Anderson award. Included with this collection are author dossiers of IBBY award nominees. For more information about this collection, see the online article.
8. Authors and illustrators who have received regional, national, or international recognition through the following award programs:

• Jane Addams Children’s Book Award given by the Jane Addams Peace Association
• The Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature given by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Caldecott Medal given by the American Library Association
• Carnegie Medal Books given by the British Library Association
• Hans Christian Andersen Award presented by the International Board on Books for Young People
• Kate Greenaway Medal awarded by the British Library Association

• Ezra Jack Keats Book Award presented by the New York Public Library and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation
• Mildred Batchelder Honor Award
• Native American Youth Services Literature Award sponsored by the American Indian Library Association
• Newbery Medal given by the American Library Association
• Phoenix Award presented by the Children’s Literature Association
• Society of School Librarians International Awards