Children's Literature

Hornbook-Plimpton-Exhibit-sq

The Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML) holds two primary collections which contain children’s books: the Historical Collection of Children’s Literature, a large (10,000 volume) and diverse collection of children’s books, running through several centuries, continents, and formats, without being noteworthy in any particular aspect; and the largely Anglo-American George Arthur Plimpton collection of “our tools of learning,” which includes didactic juvenile material from all centuries.

19th century book illustration of a mother sitting with her arm around a small girl. An older boy is leaning on the chair reading behind them.

George Arthur Plimpton Library

The Plimpton Library of 16,000 volumes- a 1936 gift of George A. Plimpton - covers what the collector called "our tools of learning” from the fifteenth to the late nineteenth centuries.

CLIO Record

We are seeking to add books and printed materials that fill gaps in the Plimpton collection, including penmanship manuals and geographies; and those which might be interesting in relation to printing technology; useful or evocative in Columbia classes, by subject matter, format or imagery; relate to other areas of interest in RBML such as Russian émigrés, U.S. history (especially 19th and 20th century aimed at freed slaves, immigrants, or other specific groups); and Greek and Roman classics.

Contact Us

Melina Moe

Melina Moe

Curator of Literature

  • Rare Book & Manuscript Library

mm5362@columbia.edu

(212) 854-8481
Rare Book & Manuscript Library - 6M57 Butler Library