In Memory of Barbara Elleman

We are terribly sad to share The Carle has lost one its dearest friends, our beloved Barbara Elleman—trustee emerita, guest curator, and founder of our research library that bears her name.

Until just a few weeks ago, Barbara visited The Carle every Thursday. Her commitment and dedication—from her tenure as a trustee to her work as a guest curator to her and her husband Don’s generous financial support—were critical to the Museum’s early and continued success.

As children’s editor at Booklist and the creator and founding editor of Book Links Magazine, Barbara Elleman became acquainted with Eric Carle. When she heard he was planning a museum in Amherst, she was delighted, offering the Museum her 1,000-plus collection of professional books about children’s literature, acquired during her 30 years in the field. The Carle now holds more than 5,000 books in Barbara’s collection.

Central to her legacy is the Barbara Elleman Research Library—or the BERL as it’s called among museum staff. This collection of scholarly works allows The Carle to offer its resources as a center for picture book investigation and research for students, scholars, and educators.

The author of two books exploring the work of artists Virginia Lee Burton and Tomie dePaola, respectively, Barbara curated two exhibitions at The Carle and founded the annual BERL Lecture Series that brings esteemed editors, librarians, scholars, and illustrators to the Museum each spring. Past speakers include Patricia Lee Gauch (2011); Betsy Hearne (2012); Peter Sís (2013); Timothy Young (2014); Jerry Pinkney (2015); Grace Lin (2016); Steven Kellogg (2017); Anita Silvey (2018); Neal Porter (2019); Wendell Minor (2022); Dr. Jonda C. McNair (2023); and Brian Pinkney (2024).

Her impact on The Carle community is immeasurable. Her legacy will be felt every day, and certainly every Thursday, when we visit the BERL and remember her warmth, her passion for the Museum, and her lifelong, steadfast dedication to children’s literature.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, November 7, 2024, 5:00 p.m., at The Carle, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002. Memorial gifts can be made in Barbara’s honor to the Barbara Elleman Research Library at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.