Cotsen Children's Library, Research library and special collections at Princeton University, United States.
Cotsen Children's Library is a special collection at Princeton University housing rare illustrated children's books, manuscripts, original artwork, prints, and educational toys. The materials span from the 15th century through today.
The collection includes medieval manuscripts and early Coptic Christian schoolbooks that show how children learned in ancient times. These materials were gathered over centuries to document the evolution of children's literature.
The library houses children's books and materials in more than thirty languages, from English to Chinese, Hebrew, and Russian. This reflects how stories have connected cultures and generations across the world.
Visitors can view the materials by visiting the Reading Room of the Department of Special Collections within Firestone Library after setting up an account. The staff can help guide you to specific items in the collection.
The collection holds original drawings by Edward Lear and other illustrators like K. F. E. Freyhold, plus handwritten picture letters from Beatrix Potter. It also includes two personal scrapbooks created by Hans Christian Andersen himself.
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