Birmingham collection of Victorian games gets set for big library move (UK)

A unique collection of historic children's games and rare books will undergo essential conservation work before Birmingham's showpiece new library opens its doors in 2013. The Parker Collection of Victorian games was donated to the Central Library in 1950 by Mr and Mrs JF Parker, of Bewdley, Worcestershire. It features a beautifully illustrated game called The Young Naturalists, designed to encourage children to learn about the world around them; Every Day Things, a Victorian word game that still contains its original bone counters, and Race to the Ocean Coast, a challenge for players to race from Paddington to Penzance, Birkenhead or Fishguard. A number of school and adventure stories have since been added and the collection now contains rare books dating from 1538. But after the work is completed, the collection it will be packed away in preparation of the move to the new premises