What to know
- Robert Munsch has donated his personal archives, including original drafts, fan letters, and publishing notes to the Guelph Public Library.
- The collection will be housed at Guelph’s new Central Library, currently under construction and scheduled to open in early 2027.
- The archives will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Munsch’s more than 75 beloved children’s books.
- Library officials say the collection will attract students, researchers, and visitors from beyond Guelph, while preserving Munsch’s literary legacy.
Beloved Canadian author Robert Munsch has gifted his personal archives – featuring original drafts, fan letters, and publishing notes – to his hometown of Guelph, where they’ll be showcased in the city’s brand new library coming in 2027.
The forthcoming Central Library location in Guelph, Ontario is set to house the archives of the renowned children’s author, and will make them accessible for public programming and research.
Currently under construction, the new downtown building on Baker Street will feature a reading room, a display area, and secure storage for Munsch’s archives.
The Guelph Public Library tells Now Toronto that the library has always been a major part of the Munsch family’s lives, sharing that he would bring his kids weekly to pick out new books.
Today, the Love You Forever author’s career spans over 40 years, with over 75 published picture books, and the library says this upcoming collection will offer a behind-the-scenes look into his all-time classics.
“He has captured the hearts of many generations with not only his exciting stories, but also just his storytelling,” Supervisor of Archives and Records Management Eleni Hughes told Now Toronto.
“He has his children’s stories, but then he has his stories behind these stories. So it’s great to preserve his legacy, because his personal archives give a glimpse at his creative process behind many of these children’s stories that we all love.”
A LEGACY PRESERVED FOR GENERATIONS
Hughes says that the library is also excited for the foot traffic that the collection will bring from classroom visits, to researchers, to University of Guelph children’s literature students eager to walk in the footsteps of Munsch. But above all, she emphasizes that the collection is a lasting treasure for the library system.
“It’s an opportunity for people from all over, from outside of Guelph, to come and visit the collection,” she said. “For us, it’s just important to preserve the legacy of such a prominent writer and be able to provide that to people for generations to come.”
In September, Munsch revealed that he’s been approved for medical assistance in dying (MAID) following previously being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Earlier this month, he told CBC News that he still has about another 50 stories to share with the world, hopeful to release one book per year to be edited and illustrated after he’s gone.
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“When I’m dead, they’ll still be putting out Robert Munsch books,” he said to CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault.
The Central Library is expected to be complete by early 2027.
