Useful Organisations No.35

The National Art Library

The Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL

Tel: 020 7942 2400

From the mid-nineteenth century onwards the National Art Library has collected children’s publications and now holds nearly 100,000 books dating from the sixteenth century to the present day. Acquired as examples of the art of the book, they show the development of children’s book production and illustration. The Renier Collection, with over 80,000 books, represents major authors and artists and most subject areas and genres. Other collections are particularly rich in late eighteenth-century and early nineteenth-century British and North West European imprints; and moderately rich in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British illustrated children’s books. The Library holds a fine selection of Russian (mainly Soviet) books, plus an extensive collection of North American, European and Japanese comics.

The NAL’s children’s book collections contain much useful source material in publishing history, social history and the art of the book. Areas represented include the Great Exhibition, topography, trade and industry, fable books, emblem books and chapbooks, natural history books, alphabets and printing, and Victorian publishers’ bindings. Artists such as Blake, Cruikshank, Doyle, Tenniel, Caldecott, Ardizzone and Sendak are represented, as well as lesser-known names.

In addition to individual acquisitions, the Library holds, amongst other collections, material relating to Beatrix Potter, including the Linder Bequest, the Linder Archive and the Linder Collection. All NAL collections are for reference only and 48 hours’ notice is needed to access some items.