[1] The collection owes its genesis to one man, Edgar Osborne, the Country Librarian for Derbyshire, UK from 1923 – 1954.
In the Introduction to Volume One of the Catalogue published in 1975, Osborne wrote: "As time passed and our Collection grew, we came to understand that the term “children’s classic” could not be so defined to suit the range of our interests.
Osborne offered it to libraries in England, but none would meet his conditions that it should be properly housed and described in a published catalogue.
He wrote in 1946 to the head librarian in Toronto to offer the books as a tribute to Lillian Smith and to Mabel.
It ranges from literary classics to popular culture, including children's novelties like moveables and miniatures.
[14] It also contains the Pettingell Collection of periodicals and penny dreadfuls, and the childhood libraries of such notables as Florence Nightingale and Queen Mary.
The Friends of the Osborne and Lillian H. Smith Collections was established in 1966 and welcomes members from all over the world.