Be delighted by our children’s literature collection.
Throughout May and June, we are highlighting some of ACU Library’s special collections. Surprise and delight yourself with our rare and unique children’s book collections dating back to the 1800s. These collections are preserved for their value to researchers, the university, and the wider community.
Held in our Melbourne Library, this collection contains over 4,000 items dating from the 1940s to the 1960s and continues to grow. Featuring traditional children’s books such as The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs, which was published in 1947. Gibbs wrote and illustrated uniquely Australian fairy tales based on local flora and fauna. It was within this book that she expressed her commitment to conservation, with the opening inscription ‘Humans, please be kind to all bush creatures and don’t pull up flowers by the roots’.
Also housed in our Melbourne library, this collection was named after ACU children’s literature lecturer, Mrs Elisabeth (Dinny) Culican and contains almost 1,500 items dating from the 1800s to the 1940s.
Based on the life of the author Louisa May Alcott and her three sisters, first published in 1868, Little Women features beloved characters the March sisters and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. The book explores themes such as love and death, war and peace and the conflict between finding your place in the world and family responsibilities. Made into many popular films, TV shows and even anime since the 1930s, it is an enduring classic.
Explore the Nolan and Culican collections online through our catalogue.
Contact the Melbourne Library to access the physical collections by appointment.
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For NAIDOC Week 2026, we invite you to explore 50 years of First Nations voices through our collections.
Major building works are taking place from August 2026 to March 2027. Stay tuned for updates.
Exams are done, assessments are in and the weather is rubbish. It's the perfect time to curl up with a classic novel!
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Are you a postgraduate or academic scholar with an interest in historical children's literature? Explore ACU's fellowship opportunity for 2026.
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Go 'All In' for National Reconciliation Week, 27 May to 3 June 2026.
Research Essentials has wrapped up for the semester, but you can still access recordings of all our sessions through the training hub.
Did you know the library is open on weekends and after hours?
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