The Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida’s George A. Smathers Libraries contains more than 115,000 books and periodicals published in the United States and Great Britain from the mid-1600s to present day. The Library also has small holdings of manuscript collections, original artwork, and assorted ephemera such as board games, puzzles, and toys. The Baldwin Library is known for comparative editions of books, with special emphasis on Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrim’s Progress, Aesop’s Fables, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The Library also has the largest collection of Early American Juvenile Imprints of any academic institution in the United States.
Other strengths and distinctions of the Baldwin Library include: marginalia and inscriptions, nonfiction from the 20th century, Little Golden Books, religious tracts, and illustrated editions from the Golden Age of Children's Literature. Scholars worldwide use the Baldwin Library for research in morality tales and religious tracts, conduct of life, gender roles, comparative editions/book history, and toy and movable books.
The Baldwin Library also runs the Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship in conjunction with the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association; offers a travel grant program for visiting researchers; and hosts speakers from the children’s literature community.
For more information on the collection, please contact lib-Baldwin@uflib.ufl.edu.
Baldwin Library Digital Collection: The University of Florida’s Digital Collections provides scholars with access to over 6,000 rare and unique titles from the Baldwin’s print collection. The digital collection is a continually growing archive of children’s books published in the United States and Great Britain during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Baldwin Library is located in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections’ Reading Room on the second floor of Smathers Library (Library East). If you are unfamiliar with the University of Florida campus, please look at our campus map.
Researchers are encouraged to telephone, email, or write at least 3 days in advance of their visit if they are off campus, and one day in advance if they are on campus. Please contact special@uflib.ufl.edu.
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