SUMMARY
Traditionally, the library profession has taken a leadership role in the domain of children's literature - aspart of its social mission. In apartheid South Africa, librarians were responsible for research units, forprestigious awards andfor the professional competencies of children's librarians. In championing children'sliterature, librarians might contribute to the African Renaissance - the nation-building ideology beingpromoted in post-apartheid South Africa. The project that prompted this paper investigated the position ofchildren's literature in the education of librarians within 15 universities and technikons. It found children'sliterature education to be in a precarious position with most of the historically advantaged institutions havingdropped it. Those that retain children's literature modules have inadequate resources. The apparent lowpriority given to children's literature within the profession might be due to an unfortunate combination ofpressures - within library employing organisations, the professional association and tertiary education.