National Centre for Australian Children's Literature

The National Centre for Australian Children's Literature, formerly known as the Lu Rees Archives, is a not-for-profit study and research centre housed at the University of Canberra Library. The Centre "strives to enhance the appreciation of Australian children's literature by collecting, preserving and making available wide-ranging resources", including "both the literature and the historical and cultural context in which it was created"

In 1974 Lu Rees, then President of the ACT Branch of The Children's Book Council of Australia, proposed to the other branches, that the ACT Branch would begin a collection of biographical files on Australian children's authors and illustrators and a collection of their works. Lu Rees offered her personal collection of several hundred works "as a first step." The collection was maintained in the home of a member of The Children's Book Council of Australia, and developed with donations mainly from Children's Book Council of Australia members. In 1979, in response to the International Year of the Child, Lu Rees initiated a plan to collect overseas translated editions of Australian authors.

In 1980, Belle Alderman first suggested that the collection, which had outgrown the home of Lu Rees, could be housed at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (now the University of Canberra), where it could be accessed by students and researchers. In the same year, the Library of the Canberra College of Advanced Education, under Chief Librarian the late Victor Crittenden O.A.M. (first Chair of the Lu Rees Archives Management Committee), agreed to house the collection, catalogue the resources and provide in kind support. At the time of handing over in July 1980, the collection became known as the Lu Rees Archives, after its founder. The collection then held around 1000 books and 50 research files on authors and illustrators. In 1981 Australian publishers agreed to donate their children's books, a practice which has continued.

Lu Rees, who received both an M.B.E. (in 1964) and was created a member of the Order of Australia (A.M.) (in 1983) for her services to children's literature, died on 23 January 1983. Posthumously, Mrs Rees was awarded the Dromkeen Medal for services to children's literature.

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