Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature

04/10/2026

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03/02/2026

🏡✨ Join us for a special conversation exploring the meaning of home in children’s books presented by The Arne Nixon Center.

📍Ellipse Gallery, 2nd Floor North Wing
Fresno State Library
📅Tuesday, March 10
⏰2-4 p.m.

Light snacks & beverages provided

Open to the public so mark your calendars!

In stories for young readers, home is more than a house - it’s a memory, landscape, belonging, curiosity and growth. Through storytelling, children are able to learn not only what home looks like, but how it feels and how place shapes identity.📚✨

🎙️Featuring:
- Leonard Marcus : examining how the built environment becomes a powerful (and often overlooked) character in children’s literature.
- Jim Silverman : sharing a visual journey through 19th and early 20th century California children’s books - from a Mexican school book to Hollywood fairy tales, revealing layered histories and diverse cultural perspectives.

02/19/2026

Happy Birthday Arne! 🎉🥳

Today we are celebrating what would’ve been Arne Nixon’s 99th birthday. Arne was a passionate advocate for children’s literature who dedicated his life to influencing generations of young readers 📚✨

The photos shared here capture moments from his early years, first, as a student, then, his first teaching job celebrating his birthday, and the final photo shows his love for photography! 📸

11/12/2025

📚✨Join us for Once Upon a Storyteller: Arne Nixon’s Life & Legacy, a celebration of the beloved professor whose passion for children’s literature inspired generations of readers, teachers and students.

🗓️Thursday , Nov. 20
⏰ 2:30-5:00 PM
📍Room 3212, 3rd Floor South - Fresno State Library

🔗 Find the link to RSVP in our bio!

Enjoy free food, drinks and an exhibit showcasing Arne Nixon’s lasting impact on education and storytelling.

10/08/2025

Celebrate Banned Books Week with us 🎉✨We’re thrilled to collaborate with Ginny Barnes, First year librarian, who curated this exhibition! Be sure to stop by and check out rare books from the Arne Nixon Center!

📍 Library Diversity Lounge, 2nd Floor, North Wing

08/19/2025

🌎 Dolls of the World🌍

Check out our fall display featuring vintage dolls, books, and maps!

05/05/2025

Thank you to Chiamee Vang for a wonderful talk and all those in attendance and insta live that could make it!

03/17/2025

The ANC is deeply saddened by the passing of Michael Cart, one of our founding board members and significant donors. He donated thousands of books to the center, many of which are the core of our LGBTQ+ children's book collections. His legacy also continues with the center's Michael Cart Research Fellowship, which supports the research of children's literature scholars in our center. Cart was the best sort of scholar-librarian, who believed passionately in the ability of children's literature to shape the character of the future. He will be missed.

The Fresno State Library offers our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Cart, who passed away on February 13, 2025 in Indiana. Cart was an invaluable supporter of the Arne Nixo…

07/10/2024

It is with great pleasure that the Library introduces the new curator for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature. Karina Cardenas will begin on July 22 and comes to us from Special Collections at CSU Los Angeles, where she developed her expertise in archives and unique collections. Find out more about Karina at Fresno State Library News:

Welcome Karina Cardenas, new curator for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature.

07/06/2023

to the completion and celebration of the “Maybe Something Beautiful Community Mural” with children’s illustrator and friend, Rafael Lopez! It’s been a little over 4 years since the accomplishment of the !🎨 Swipe through to see the before and after!