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In February we are posting interviews with each of the 2012 Candidates for YALSA Award Committees. This week we are focusing on the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee. Each day this week we’ll post an interview with one of the candidates for that committee. We are posting alphabetically by candidate’s last names.

The YALSA Nominating Committee for 2012 has been working hard to select candidates for this year’s election. The Edwards Committee is charged with honoring an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award recognizes an author whose book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young adults as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives. The book or books should enable them to understand themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationship with others and with society. To see more about this committee, please see their policies and procedures here. Committee size: 5, three to be elected, plus two appointed by the YALSA President-Elect.

This is your chance to get to know this year’s candidates that have been nominated to serve on the Edwards Committee.

Lynn Rutan is a candidate for the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee.

What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for the award position for which you are running?
I have been for fortunate in being able to serve on several selection and awards committees with YALSA and with ALSC.  I served on Popular Paperpacks, had a three-year term on Best Books for Young Adults and also chaired that committee.  I served on the Michael Printz Award and chaired that committee as well.  I am currently serving on the Newbery Committee.  The experiences on these committees were very enriching and I had what felt like a post-doctoral course in literary analysis, organizational methods and how to work collaboratively with a group.  I was a school librarian for many years and reader’s advisory and booktalking was a big part of my job so I have a long and happy experience with the wealth of YA literature.  I think I have a solid understanding as well as a love of the body of literature for teens.

Why do you want to be a member of this awards committee?
I have enormous respect for the gifted people who write for teens.  Their work enriches and even saves young lives.  Most YA authors are seldom as appreciated by the greater world, as they should be.  The Edwards is such a special award and one small way to recognize the authors who give their careers to writing for young people.  I would very much like to be a part of this process.

What are you most looking forward to in being a part of this award decision process?
Two things really jump to mind.  First is the opportunity to work with a YALSA committee again and with only 5 members, it is a committee that will be able to get to know each other really well.  Secondly, my current job as a reviewer and blogger requires me to be reading the newest releases and I seldom get a chance to go back and read some of the wonderful books in the canon.  I am excited by the idea of being to read back in time too.

What do you feel are the key factors for decision-making for this award?
I think it is important to assess the enduring quality of the body of work as well as the impact on young people and their experience of the world.  As with any award committee, the charge is what guides the committee.

The reading load for awards committees is very high, how do you plan on managing the work load of award committee life?
Having served three years on BBYA in the days when we considered nonfiction, gr

In February we are posting interviews with each of the 2012 Candidates for YALSA Award Committees. This week we are focusing on the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee. Each day this week we’ll post an interview with one of the candidates for that committee. We are posting alphabetically by candidate’s last names.

The YALSA Nominating Committee for 2012 has been working hard to select candidates for this year’s election. The Edwards Committee is charged with honoring an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award recognizes an author whose book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young adults as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives. The book or books should enable them to understand themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationship with others and with society. To see more about this committee, please see their policies and procedures here. Committee size: 5, three to be elected, plus two appointed by the YALSA President-Elect.

This is your chance to get to know this year’s candidates that have been nominated to serve on the Edwards Committee.

Julie Roach is a candidate for the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee.

What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for the award position for which you are running?
I have had three incredible and extremely varied experiences on award committees (Boston Globe/Horn Book; Caldecott; and Geisel, chair).  I also teach a graduate course in children’s and young adult literature where we do author studies and I truly enjoy considering and discussing an author’s body of work with a group.

Why do you want to be a member of this awards committee?
I love this idea of honoring an author in this way.  I think this award is very special for young adult literature and for YALSA.  Young adult literature evolves so quickly, but this award really helps define and pay tribute to a meaningful canon.

What are you most looking forward to in being a part of this award decision process?
I think that is what I am looking forward to most—being a part of it!  Also I am excited by the prospect of considering outside the focus of the current year and really thinking about what has made a lasting impact.

What do you feel are the key factors for decision-making for this award?
History and longevity and how these play with the present.  What authors and books have continued to reach teen readers over the course of time?  Who do we recognize as having had and continuing to have an important place on the shelf?

The reading load for awards committees is very high, how do you plan on managing the work load of award committee life?
It’s important to stay organized and not procrastinate… and plan to sleep less!  I think preparing for and expecting this to own a big piece of one’s life is an important part of it too.

What have you learned from past experiences on awards, juries, or other YALSA committees that you will bring with you to this committee?
I have learned that each experience is both incredibly different and amazing!  But the things I’ve found to be consistently important are listening, keeping an open mind, and working as a team.  Also, aside from good notes, I think the most important thing to bring is a solid sense of humor!

In your experience how has the YALSA Awards and Selected Lists helped you as a librarian or made your work better or easier or different than expected?
Serving youth in a busy public library, I think what the YALSA Awards and Selected Lists do fo

In February we are posting interviews with each of the 2012 Candidates for YALSA Award Committees. This week we are focusing on the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee. Each day this week we’ll post an interview with one of the candidates for that committee. We are posting alphabetically by candidate’s last names.

The YALSA Nominating Committee for 2012 has been working hard to select candidates for this year’s election. The Edwards Committee is charged with honoring an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award recognizes an author whose book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young adults as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives. The book or books should enable them to understand themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationship with others and with society. To see more about this committee, please see their policies and procedures here. Committee size: 5, three to be elected, plus two appointed by the YALSA President-Elect.

This is your chance to get to know this year’s candidates that have been nominated to serve on the Edwards Committee.

Barbara Moon is a candidate for the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee.

What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for the award position for which you are running?
I have had the honor of serving as a member of the Odyssey Award Committee and the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Selection Committee. In my current position as a Youth Services Consultant, I regularly read and review young adult literature.

Why do you want to be a member of this awards committee?
I look forward to the Margaret A. Edwards Award announcement each year and have been excited about each committee’s selection. I have had the opportunity to hear many of the award winners speak, both at the annual conference and in other venues. These authors’ works reflect many of the qualities of fine YA literature.

What are you most looking forward to in being a part of this award decision process?
Literature for young adults is vibrant and exciting. It would be an honor to meet with other professionals who share an appreciation for the outstanding contributions that have been made to this field.

What do you feel are the key factors for decision-making for this award?
From my experience, the key factors in the decision-making process are: a focus on the purpose and criteria for the award as outline by YALSA, a committee chair who is skillfully oversees the process, and committee members who are willing to work together and remain open to additional points of view.

The reading load for awards committees is very high, how do you plan on managing the work load of award committee life?
My past experiences have been that it is best to stay on top of the reading, and if possible front-load the work. Extenuating circumstances often arise, but if I stay current on reading, when unexpected emergencies come up, they can be overcome.

What have you learned from past experiences on awards, juries, or other YALSA committees that you will bring with you to this committee?
I have learned to evaluate literature according to a specific set of guidelines. I have become more focused in my reading and use of time in order to accomplish the tasks of the committee. I have enjoyed meeting so many interesting and diverse individuals, who offer me fresh perspectives.

In your experience how has the YALSA Awards and Selected Lists helped you as a librarian or made your work better or easier or different than expected?
I have lear

In February we are posting interviews with each of the 2012 Candidates for YALSA Award Committees. This week we are focusing on the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee. Each day this week we’ll post an interview with one of the candidates for that committee. We are posting alphabetically by candidate’s last names.

The YALSA Nominating Committee for 2012 has been working hard to select candidates for this year’s election. The Edwards Committee is charged with honoring an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award recognizes an author whose book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young adults as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives. The book or books should enable them to understand themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationship with others and with society. To see more about this committee, please see their policies and procedures here. Committee size: 5, three to be elected, plus two appointed by the YALSA President-Elect.

This is your chance to get to know this year’s candidates that have been nominated to serve on the Edwards Committee.

Sarah Ludwig is a candidate for the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee.

What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for the award position for which you are running?
I am an avid reader of young adult literature — it’s pretty much all I read, in fact. I go through brief periods of reading adult books, but I always come back to young adult lit. I find YA books so compelling, not necessarily because they “bring me back” (though some do that), but because they’re so often about transformation, change, and overcoming great challenges. I also love how great teen novels can serve both as a boon to teens who are struggling and as an inspiration, with lots of strong characters of all backgrounds. Putting the right book in the hands of a teen is one of the most satisfying things I can do as a librarian.

Why do you want to be a member of this awards committee?
I like committee work. I’ve served on several YALSA committees and I find it satisfying and professionally uplifting. I also love the idea of being a part of the legacy of the Edwards award. To be connected in such a meaningful way to the literature that I love would be, frankly, pretty cool. I have the background and perspective to serve as an open-minded and thoughtful member of the committee, and I would take my task very seriously.

What are you most looking forward to in being a part of this award decision process?
I look forward to the prospect of discussing — and maybe even debating — teen literature with a group of my peers. I also very much look forward to revisiting the books that I’ve read over the years, and to hearing the perspectives of fellow readers of young adult books. The feeling of connection over a book — whether a similar response or a new perspective — is an intellectually and often emotionally fulfilling one.

What do you feel are the key factors for decision-making for this award?
I do think that the criteria for the Edwards award are objective, though there are a few factors that would lead me to considering one author over another for the award. The literature itself must be well-crafted. The author’s books should have advanced the genre — that is, challenged the notion of the type of literature available to young adults. I am especially interested in stories that expose the reader to new perspectives, cultures, ways of life, or situations. As teens are constantly learning about themselves and their world, we must acknowledge the books

Join YALSA with LIVE streaming video of all the YMA announcement, presented jointly by the YALSA Blog and The Hub. Along with the video, we’ll also be offering quick polls and pulling Twitter hashtags like #printz and #alexawards. You can log in to the live session with your Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or OpenID username (which will include your avatar), or just jump right in.

YALSA Blog manager mk Eagle (username pandanose) will be offering transcriptions of all the announcements, with live video from The Hub blogger Jessica Pryde. Coverage begins at 7:30 central on Monday, January 23.

2012 Youth Media Awards