International Youth Library, Youth literature library in Blutenburg Castle, Munich, Germany
The International Youth Library is a specialist library for children's and youth literature, housed within Blutenburg Castle on the western edge of Munich. Its collection holds books in their original languages from countries around the world, with both a public lending section and a research archive.
The library was founded in 1949 by Jella Lepman, who saw international children's books as a tool for rebuilding understanding between peoples after World War Two. Over the following decades, that peace initiative grew into one of the largest collections of children's and youth literature in the world.
The library hosts permanent exhibitions devoted to German authors like Michael Ende and Erich Kästner, with original manuscripts and personal objects on display. Walking through these rooms, visitors can see how closely children's literature is tied to German cultural history.
The library sits within the grounds of Blutenburg Castle and is reachable on foot from the nearest train station or a nearby parking area. The public section is open to all visitors, while those wanting to use the research archive are advised to contact the library in advance.
Every two years the library publishes the White Ravens list, a worldwide selection of children's and youth books judged worth special attention. This list is closely watched by publishers because it often points to books not yet translated into other languages.
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