News Release

San Francisco – The Marjorie G. and Carl W. Stern Book Arts & Special Collections Center of the San Francisco Public Library is pleased to present Sleeping Beauties: Fairy Tales Selected from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor. Fairy tales from around the world will be on display from April 1 through May 31, in the Skylight Gallery of the Main Library.

From the Paris salons of the late 17th century to colorfully illustrated modern retellings, the fairy tale has evolved from sophisticated tales for the literary elite to moral instruction for children to pure pleasure for both children and adults. The French story tellers were first to coin the expression “contes de fées”, or “tales of the fairies.” Drawn from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor (SCOWAH), the stories on display reflect national traditions steeped in tales of the fairies, with stories from France, Germany, England, Ireland, the Slavic countries and North America, to tales of The Arabian Nights to Japanese and Chinese fairy tales. The nineteenth century fantasy Alice in Wonderland, considered the first fairy tale with no moral purpose, and fairy tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham will also be featured in the exhibition.

In conjunction with Sleeping Beauties, the Library’s Audio Visual Center will present a series of fairy tale videos for the April Thursdays at Noon series, in the Koret Auditorium. Featured for April are the videos La Belle et la Bête (1946), Ever After (1998), Peau d’Ane (1970) and Princess Bride (1987).

Located in the Book Arts & Special Collections Center of the Main Library, SCOWAH is a unique resource: a non-circulating research collection focusing on the humorous treatment of all subjects. Presented as a gift to the Library in 1947 by Nat Schmulowitz – attorney, bibliophile and humanitarian – the collection has grown to its present state of over 20,000 volumes in 35 languages, covering more than 400 years of wit and humor. The annual SCOWAH exhibition, which opens every April Fool’s Day, is a tribute to Mr. Schmulowitz’s generosity and lifelong interest in the San Francisco Public Library, and highlights some of the treasures that may be found in the collection.

In addition to the Schmulowitz Collection, the Book Arts & Special Collections Center is home to the Grabhorn Collection on the History of Printing & the Development of the Book, the Harrison Collection of Calligraphy & Lettering, and the Little Maga/Zine Collection. The Center is open Tuesday through Thursday 10-6; Friday 12 noon-6; Saturday 10-6; Sunday 12 noon-5. Closed Monday. For more information about the Book Arts & Special Collections Center, please visit www.sfpl.org or call 415.557.4560.

The exhibition will be open according to Skylight Gallery hours: Sunday 12 noon-5; Monday through Thursday 9-6; Friday 12 noon-6; Saturday 10-6. All programs at the San Francisco Public Library are free and open to the public.