The Center for Children's Literature came to Carthage College from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  John Stewig, who was the original donor of the collection, came to found and chair the Center at Carthage.    Stewig was the chair from 2004- 2011.  In 2011, Marilyn Ward became chair of the center and shifted the focus of the center towards child centered events and international children's literature with the launch of Omni Libros in 2014.