Larry Sipe collection found a new home!

Larry Sipe’s collection of picture books and children’s literature has found a new home at the International Youth Library in Munich. Processing the complete collection of about 4,200 books was no mean feat, but with determination and international help, we were able to complete the cataloguing process in December 2013.

Lawrence R. Sipe Collection

After the unexpected death of American Dr. Lawrence R. Sipe, picture book researcher and collector, his heirs donated his children’s and youth book collection to the International Youth Library.

Dr. Sipe was Professor for Literature and Education at the Penn Graduate School of Education (University of Pennsylvania) in Philadelphia, as well as Chair of their program for Language and Literacy in Education. The focus of his academic studies was the interplay between picture, text, and paratext in picture books, and research in children’s reading behavior. As a former International Youth Library Research Fellow, Dr. Sipe had close connections to the library.