Lu Rees Archives

The Lu Rees Archives is a comprehensive collection of books and other resources about Australian authors, illustrators, publishers and their creative works. The collection includes over 20,000 books, with 2400 of these in overseas translations in 50 languages, over 360 research files, and significant collections of authors', illustrators' and publishers' papers, manuscripts and artwork. The resources are publicly available, and visitors are welcome during opening hours.

The mission of the Archives is to enhance the appreciation of Australian children's literature by collecting, preserving and making available wide-ranging resources.Lu Rees, the founding President of the ACT Branch of The Children's Book Council of Australia proposed in 1974 that there should be a collection of research files about Australian children's authors and illustrators together with a collection of their books. In 1980 this collection was deposited at the University of Canberra Library so it could be publicly available with the ACT Branch continuing as owners and managers.

The Archives is supported by the National Executive of The Children's Book Council of Australia, which generously funds the Archives' part-time staffing. The ACT Branch provides a donation annually and volunteer support. The University of Canberra Library houses the collection, catalogues the books, and provides materials to support the collection. Australian publishers donate their children's books as they are published.

Learn more about the collection on the Lu Rees website: http://www.canberra.edu.au/lurees

How to become involved

Visit us. Lu Rees is located on the top floor of the University of Canberra Library. Please call or email to advise staff of your visit and confirm opening hours.
Volunteer in the Archives.
Make a tax-deductable donation! Authors and illustrators may also be able to donate books and papers under the Cultural Gifts scheme.
Help us find missing books - check the Lu Rees wishlist.

Awards Foundation Benefactors

Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd · Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd · Laurie Copping OAM (In memoriam) · Thyne Reid Trust No.1

Major Donors

Australia Post · Sandy Campbell · Era Publications · Five Mile Press · Libby Gleeson AM · Bob Graham · Hachette Children’s Books Australia · Hardie Grant Egmont Pty Ltd · HarperCollinsPublishers Australia · Ipswich District Teacher-Librarians' Network · The James N Kirby Foundation · Kinross-Wolaroi School, Orange · Koala Books · Library Board of Queensland · Beryl Moncrieff Matthews (In memoriam) · Jill Midolo (in memoriam) · Angela Namoi · The Northern Territory Government · Parents and Boys at Sydney Grammar School, Edgecliff Prep · Penguin Books Australia · Random House Australia Pty Ltd · Marion E Robertson (in memoriam) · Emily Rodda (Jennifer Rowe) · Gillian Rubinstein · Maurice Saxby AM · SA Dept of the Arts and Cultural Development · University of Qld Press · Julie Vivas · Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd · Cassandra Weddell, Qld (In memoriam) · Miss Maisie Williams, Garah NSW (In memoriam) · Margaret Wild · Sue Williams