Free Printable Coloring Books from Libraries Around the World #ColorOurCollections
Image credit: The Huntington
In February 2016, museums and libraries around the world took part in #ColorOurCollections – where they made available free coloring books created from their collections of art. Then they encouraged colorist to share their colored in images on social media using the hashtag #ColorOurCollections (Twitter) and on (Instagram). Here is a partial list of the libraries and museums with links to their pages or directly to their free printable adult coloring book PDFs.
Free printable coloring PDFs:
- Bodleian Library (PDF)
- National Archives of the United States (patents)
- New York Academy of Medicine
- New York Public Library (PDF)
- Special Collections and Rare Books, University of Missouri Libraries
- Smithsonian Libraries – (PDF)
Links to pages that have more information and more coloring pages:
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Digital Public Library of America
- Europeana
- Folger Library
- James Madison University (PDF)
- New York Botanical Garden
- The Getty
- The Huntington
- The Open Library
- Wangensteen Historical Library, University of Minnesota
The Library of Congress has a Pinterest board with a collection of coloring pages for printing as well.
Here is another page on our site with links to more free printable coloring pages.
Let us know in the comments if you are an institution with more free coloring pages! (We’ll have separate places for individual authors to post free pages).
Coloring Book Giveaway! Books and More
Coloring Book Goodies is pleased to announce our really cool coloring book giveaway sponsored by us and authors Katie Darden, Vintage Pen Press and Emily M Morgan. Please support our generous authors by buying and reviewing their books!
We will be giving away 12 print books including coloring books, coloring journals and coloring pencils supplied by the authors with a few things tossed in from Coloring Book Goodies. They will be divided up into 5 prize packages.
Enter our giveaway and join our newsletter to get a link to a special page that has links to free coloring pages from a variety of authors. We have plans to offer lots of cool freebies via our newsletter and social media so be sure to follow all the links in the Rafflecopter below!
Check out all the great books in our Coloring Book Goodies Holiday Gift Guide for more great books and journals too!
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FEATURED BOOK: Orangeroof Zoo by Mary Ogle
Genre: Coloring Book
Targeted Age Group: Adult
Steam/Violence Level: (Ranked from 1 to 5, as noted by the author): 1 – Clean read/not a lot of violence
Award-winning artist Mary Ogle’s Orangeroof Zoo is the next logical step in the adult coloring book revolution. Combining finely crafted and detailed line drawings with a fascinating narrative, Orangeroof Zoo is both coloring book and graphic novel.
The book begins with a curious summons. L receives a piece of unsolicited correspondence and must choose whether to accept a cryptic offer of transportation. Confused by the situation and perplexed by the enigmatic Z, a mystified L follows the instructions provided. The reader follows L and Z’s intriguing interaction through a series of black and white cards, becoming a part of the story by bringing the illustrations to life through their own creative application of color.
Read more about Mary Ogle here
Link to buy Orangeroof Zoo
What format is this book in? eBook, Print Book
Have you colored in this book or another by this author? Tell us about it in the comments!
Video: Johanna Basford – Ask Me Anything! #AskJohanna
How do you reach an lot of fans at once? Make a video! Johanna Basford knows how important it is to keep your fans engaged – listen to her answer questions from fans that were submitted via Facebook. Good tips and some interesting surprises coming up!
FEATURED BOOK: Celtic Alphabet Coloring Book: A Set of 26 Original, Hand-Drawn Letters To Color by Kristen N. Fox
Genre: Coloring Books, Celtic Art
Targeted Age Group: all ages
Steam/Violence Level: (Ranked from 1 to 5, as noted by the author): 1 – Clean read/not a lot of violence
The original, hand-drawn alphabet in the Art of FoxVox Celtic Alphabet Coloring Book by Kristen N. Fox includes classic Celtic elements such as intricate knotwork and circular spiral art, as well as leaf and vine motifs. The compositions and decorations are uniquely tailored to each letter so no two are exactly alike, but together make a beautifully cohesive set. Coloring these letters can be a fun way to teach the alphabet to young children. Or you can choose a letter that’s a person’s name initial, color it as you like, carefully cut its page free of the book, and frame it for them. And of course, you can always just color them for the fun of it – following the knotwork as it loops around, and seeing where the path takes you! No matter what the subject, coloring is creative and relaxing – enjoy!
Link to buy Celtic Alphabet Coloring Book: A Set of 26 Original, Hand-Drawn Letters To Color
What format is this book in? Print Book
Have you read this book or another by this author? Tell us about it in the comments!
