About the Marcia Brown Research Room

Marcia Brown, B.A. New York State College for Teachers Class of 1940, was an internationally renowned illustrator and author of children's books. Ms. Brown was awarded the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's highest award for excellence in childrens' picture-book illustrations, for three of her books: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper (1954); Once a Mouse (1961); and Shadow (1982), and six more of her books were Caldecott Honor Books. Marcia Brown's career as a published illustrator began in 1937 when she joined the art staff of The State Lion, the New York State College for Teachers student humor magazine. Her formal career as a children's illustrator, author, and translator began with the publication of The Little Carousel in 1946. That book, which she wrote and illustrated, was followed by over thirty more during her career.

To honor Ms. Brown's intellectual and financial support of the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, the University Council voted unanimously to name the Department's research room in her honor. On November 2, 2001, The Marcia Brown Research Room was officially designated.

Ms. Brown named the University Libraries as the repository of her life's work, including her correspondence, manuscripts, drawings, final art, books, and puppets. The collection page for the papers of Marcia Brown is available online and includes a detailed description of the collection as well as a more robust biographical sketch. The Spring 1996 issue of Albany Magazine included a feature about Marcia Brown entitled "Of Handsome Princes and Flying Elephants".

A few examples of Marcia Brown's work are available online in the Marcia Brown Exhibit and Resource Website and Once Upon A Drawing: The Picture Book Illustrations of Marcia Brown.