1. COLLABORATING WITH
DIGITAL LIBRARY
FOUNDATIONS: THE
BALDWIN LIBRARY
Suzan Alteri
The Future of Digital Collections
2.20.13

2. Agenda
History of the Baldwin Library of Historical
Children’s Literature
Major aspects to the Baldwin Library of Historical
Children’s Literature
Digital Collections at the University of Florida
International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL)
Future of relationship with the ICDL

3. What is the Baldwin Library?
Second largest children’s literature collection in the
nation
120,000+ books, 4 manuscript collections, original
artwork, and ephemera
Emphasis on comparative editions, early American
juvenile literature, and books that were used by
children
Closed collection located in Special Collections
Reading Room

4. History of the Baldwin Library
Began as the personal collection of Ruth M. Baldwin
Donated to the University of Florida in the late
1970s
Opened in 1982, since then the Baldwin Library has
had three curators
Original donation was 35,000 books, and now has
grown to over 120,000

5. 1789, 1946,1870
Robinson Crusoe (1789-1963)

6. First edition, 1866 (John Tenniel), Arthur Rackham (1907), and Helen Oxenbury
(1999)
Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland/Alice in Wonderland (1866-2003)

7. Pilgrim’s Progress (1678-1925)

8. Prodigal Daughter, Issac Watts’ Divine Hymns, The Menagerie
Religious Tracts (17th century – 19th century)

9. E. Detmold, Arabian Nights (1924), Kate Greenaway (1880), Kay Nielsen, Hans
Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales (1924)
Illustrators/Illustration

10. Handwritten manuscript for Cinderella, Salvador Dali’s Alice in Wonderland
Unique Items

11. University of Florida Digital Collections
The Baldwin Library is one of many sub-collections
in the UFDC
Currently there is access to over 5,800 unique and
rare titles
All items are in the public domain (pre 1923)
Digital collection began as part of two National
Endowment for the Humanities grants

12. Selection Criteria
Important for any digitization effort
Books or items should be evaluated to make sure
they will survive the digitization process
Items from the Baldwin Library were pulled by
student assistants and reviewed by the curator and
the Head of Preservation
Any materials deemed too fragile were not
digitized

13. International Children’s Digital Library
Initial involvement began as part of the second NEH
grant
“Digital access will benefit the academic community
… as well as people of all ages who enjoy
children’s literature”
To increase discovery and access to volumes held in
Baldwin Library

14. Contributing to the ICDL
Baldwin Library is the single largest contributor
All of our works are historical and in the public
domain
Not only does the Baldwin agree with the goals of
the foundation, but it helps foster collaboration

15. Future of the Relationship
Relationship remains strong
Want to ensure as large a readership as possible
Encourage children and adults to make use of our
materials as a public institution