The society which is based in Wellington, New Zealand is associated with The National Library of New Zealand . It was formed in 1983 to support the work of the Dorothy Neal White Collection.
In 2005 it was extended to support the National Children’s and Susan Price Collections.
How to view the collections supported by Friends of DNW
Through its lectures, meetings, research grant and publications the Society helps to foster interest in the general development of children’s literature.
Membership is by annual subscription, the details are on the membership page.
Address: Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection
P. 0. Box 1467
WELLINGTON
Next Event 19 March 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024, 5:30pm to 7pm
Tiakiwai Seminar Rooms (lower ground floor), National Library, corner Molesworth and Aitken St, Thorndon, Wellington. Entrance on Aitken Street.
As a young boy Arthur Ransome read the works of Robert Louis Stevenson with enthusiasm, and in his mid-20s he was commissioned to write a biography of Stevenson. What happened to that work? In this talk Kirsty Findlay explores how Arthur Ransome’s ‘Stevenson’ was brought to publication one hundred years later than intended.
The speaker, Kirsty N Findlay, graduate of VUW and Cambridge, was a member of the English Department at VUW and the University of Waikato before eventually heading the Drama examiner team at Trinity College London. She mainly lives on a beck in Cumbria where she has planted New Zealand bush within sight of Arthur Ransome’s Kanchenjunga.
Research Grant
A research grant is offered biennially to applicants who intend to undertake research that will make use of the Dorothy Neal White Collection and / or the National Children’s Collection, and fits other applicant criteria listed on the website
Connecting to Collections
The recording of Mary Skarott’s presentation June 2023 as part of the library’s Connecting to Collections series is now available through the National Library website. https://natlib.govt.nz/events/collage-illustrations-in-childrens-literature-june-20-2023
The Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal
https://www.storylines.org.nz/award/storylines-margaret-mahy-medal-and-lecture-award/
CONTACTS
Your comments or questions about the Society, the Collection, and this website are welcome
Enquiries about membership of the Friends may be directed to the Secretary, Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection
P0 Box 1467, Thorndon, Wellington 6140.
Membership form
For research enquiries relating to the collection use the webform
http://www.natlib.govt.nz/services/ask-a-librarian
Telephone: 64-4-4704488.
Facsimile: 64-4-474 3035
CHARITABLE STATUS:
New Zealand law allows non-profit organisations to apply for charitable status. This gives advantages over exemptions from some tax returns and allows members to claim tax exempt status for donations.
Our registration number is CC51738
See us on the Charities Register
Good afternoon, I have been enjoying reading the material on your website as I collect British girls’ annuals and books. I thought I would just mention something in relation to the article by Corrina Gordon on Blackie’s Budget books in Newsletter 53. She says “While perusing the shelves of the Dorothy Neal White collection, Mary Skarott and I stumbled on some books called The boys’ budget, The girls’ budget and ‘Prize’ versions of both (pictured). I was intrigued. Were these books advising children on the virtues of budgeting? Far from it. These were ripping yarns for boys and girls. The reason for ‘budget’ in the title referred to the quality of the paper used, no doubt reducing the cost of the book.”
“Budget” is quite common as part of the title of these early twentieth century children’s annuals, and I’m certain that it doesn’t derive from anything to do with cost, but rather refers to the now-dated use of “budget” to mean a copious amount of reading matter or news, which is actually closer to the way it was first used in English and pre-dates the use to do with finance or cost. I just thought Corrina or others might be interested in that, as it is otherwise a rather strange term! Best wishes, Sally Dore