The number of researchers into matters concerning puppetry is increasing year by year, and for them the Puppet Centre offers a unique resource.

Several hundred books on puppetry and related subjects such as ventriloquism, toy theatre, commedia dell’arte and world theatre are to be found in the Puppet Centre, the only publicly available library of puppet books in England. Some are rare, many are in German and French, with a few in other languages.

The books are arranged by subject matter (e.g. History, Theory, Marionettes, Rods, Puppetry in Performance, Therapy, Education) and may be consulted in the Centre by appointment.

In addition to the books, an archive of international programmes, posters, articles and so on divided by country can be explored. There is a large collection of slides and photographs of historical interest, and special archives of some supreme puppeteers and their work, such as the Lanchesters, Olive Blackham, Barry Smith and the Hogarth Puppets.

The ‘human resources’ list of the Centre is very wide, and if you need to talk to an expert about a particular subject or problem, the Centre can usually put the researcher in touch with someone who can help.