From left to right: Ann Munsch, author Robert Munsch, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, Guelph Public Library CEO Dan Atkins and GPL Chairperson Danny Williamson pose for a photo in Guelph, Ont., in a 2025 handout photo. Munsch is donating his stash of story drafts, publisher notes and fan letters to the Guelph Public Library. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Guelph Public Library, Kirsten Bester (Mandatory Credit)
From left to right: Ann Munsch, author Robert Munsch, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, Guelph Public Library CEO Dan Atkins and GPL Chairperson Danny Williamson pose for a photo in Guelph, Ont., in a 2025 handout photo. Munsch is donating his stash of story drafts, publisher notes and fan letters to the Guelph Public Library. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Guelph Public Library, Kirsten Bester (Mandatory Credit)
GACChildren鈥檚 author Robert Munsch is donating his stash of story drafts, publisher notes and fan letters to the Guelph Public Library.
The southwestern Ontario library said the collection will offer a rare glimpse into Munsch鈥檚 decades-long career, during which he penned bedtime classics including 鈥淭he Paper Bag Princess,鈥 鈥淟ove You Forever鈥 and 鈥淢ortimer.鈥
It will be a key part of a new Central Library currently under construction and set to open in late 2026 or early 2027.
"This is a huge coup for the Guelph Public Library, and I'm grateful to the fact that they recognize the importance that public libraries play in the community," library CEO Dan Atkins said Tuesday.
In a press release announcing the news, the Munsch family said they were excited to have the archives of Robert Munsch preserved at the new building, a massive project that will triple the size of the current library.
鈥淭he library has been a large part of our family's lives. When our children were young, Robert would take the kids every week to pick out new books," the family said in a release issued Monday.
"Robert Munsch is happy to continue to inspire kids and adults alike through the archives.鈥
Atkins said the library reached out last year to the Munsch family, and that they were immediately receptive to donating material that Atkins called 鈥渁 significant piece of local history.鈥
He estimated the family has saved 鈥渢ens of thousands鈥 of items including carvings, letters and artwork from children, much of kept it in basement storage. Atkins said early talks focused on including items of historical impact, such as first drafts, letters from publishers and edits that were made to Munsch's writing.
Atkins said Munsch seemed surprised by the library's request.
"He was quite shocked that people would be interested in this material. I think he's quite a humble man, and so we expressed our interest in saying that there'd be a real demand for the community to have access to this type of collection for research purposes going forward," Atkins said, adding later that the material will be well-cared for.
"Obviously, a basement is not an ideal place for a long-term archive and in our new central library we will have proper climate-controlled environments to preserve these items well into the future."
This report by 好色tvwas first published Nov. 4, 2025.
The 好色tv Press. All rights reserved.
It鈥檚 a little-known fact that Canada鈥檚 credit unions are among the country鈥檚 stron…
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