The Lu Rees Archives is a collection of resources encouraging study of and research into Australian children's literature. The Archives is named after its creator, Lu Rees, who founded the collection at the University of Canberra with her own collection of children's books and manuscripts in 1974. In 1980 the collection was formally deposited with the University of Canberra, with the Library agreeing to house, organise and support collection development. Numerous subsequent donations have made the Lu Rees Archives one of the most important collections of children's literature in Australia.
The Lu Rees Archives houses some 42,000 books, including rare items, a unique collection of some 4,200 foreign language editions in 59 languages, together with 400 research files on authors, illustrators and publishers. Finding aids for the many of these collections are available on the Lu Rees Archives website. The collection has been largely built by donations from: publishers who donate the majority of published Australian children's books; and, authors, illustrators, individuals and organisations.
The Lu Rees Archives also collects reviews and articles about Australian children's literature and authors. AustLit includes records relating to Lu Rees book, article and review holdings, together with many other records produced by AustLit contributors about Australian children's writers and writing.
Guides to Lu Rees author and publisher archives, including manuscripts, correspondence, bookcovers, and original illustrations and artworks donated by authors and publishers, are accessible through contextual AustLit records for subscribers, and are freely available on the Lu Rees Archives website.
In September 2015, the Board agreed to change the name to the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature Inc. (NCACL), and a new website was created: www.ncacl.org.au.
