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For decades many ALSC book and media award committees have observed time-honored confidentiality policies. The question has been brought to the ALSC Board: For research purposes, should there be a designated statute of limitations on these confidentiality policies?

That’s a big question to think about, and we want your input!  Please complete the following survey by Wednesday, May 18:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HVVWNRZ

Let us know what you think!

The post ALSC Award Confidentiality: Let us know what you think! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Thank you to everyone for the robust and respectful discussion regarding the status of the 2016 ALSC National Institute following North Carolina’s passage of HB2 one month ago. I’m incredibly grateful to my Board colleagues for their careful consideration and knowledge-based decision making. We heard very loudly and consistently from ALSC members on this issue and while I very much share in the disappointment that we won’t be gathering together in Charlotte this September, I’m proud of how all of us in the ALSC community have handled this challenging, important, and very real issue that led to its cancellation.

Throughout this process, the work of ALSC Executive Director Aimee Strittmatter and of Kristen Figliulo, Program Officer for Continuing Education, has been nothing short of extraordinary, as has that of their office colleagues Laura Schulte-Cooper, Dan Bostrom, Angela Hubbard, Marsha Burgess, and Courtney Jones. Vice President Betsy Orsburn, Fiscal Officer Diane Foote, Division Councilor Jenna Nemec-Loise, and Budget Committee Chair Paula Holmes have also been particularly involved in this process.

If you haven’t yet seen the Board document that outlines the details involved in this decision, please do take a look at it here.

Support from across all of ALA has been tremendous. ALA President Sari Feldman is a great friend of ALSC and of library service to children and I hope you’ll join me in expressing appreciation to her for her advocacy and support, as well as to Mario Gonzalez, ALA Treasurer and Executive Board Liaison to ALSC. ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels and Senior Associate Executive Director Mary Ghikas, along with the Public Awareness Office and Office for Library Advocacy have been there for ALSC at every step along the way. And a very special THANK YOU to our good friends at the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, especially Chair Peter Coyl, Chair-Elect Deb Sica, and Immediate Past-Chair Ann Symons.

Please also help me express our incredible thanks to the Institute Planning Task Force, who have put so much dedication, care, and excitement into their work for many, many, many months. Thank you to Chair Emily Nanney and members Seth Ervin, Catherine Haydon, Jesse Isley, Karin Michel, Rebecca Thomas, and Priority Group Consultant Julie Dietzel-Glair. For those of you who will attending the ALA Annual Conference in June, please plan to attend the ALSC Membership Meeting on Monday (June 27) at 10:30 a.m. in the Orange County Convention Center Room W308, as we pay special tribute to the Task Force.

It was important that we took these weeks to make such a careful and considered decision, and while some elements of its implementation are still in progress, here is the latest information:

• Our Quicklists Committee has compiled a Transgender/Inclusion Advocacy & Information resource. The aim of this list is to educate and support both library workers and the general public regarding the legislation and the issues of transgender rights. It includes several organizations to contact regarding advocacy, donating time and money, and a bibliography of related books, including picture books, fiction, and nonfiction.
• Those who were registered for the Institute will receive a full refund of registration fees without penalty.
• For those who had already booked airfare, ALSC has created a memo to airlines (including American Airlines, for which Charlotte is a major hub) requesting they waive the change fee or offer a full refund, in the spirit of solidarity, to those who booked travel to North Carolina over the Institute dates.
• ALSC is now planning to hold a one-day workshop immediately prior to the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, January 20, to accommodate as much of the Institute’s creative programming as possible.
• ALSC also plans to offer much of the Institute’s educational content in an online format.

Specific details around which content will be offered, as well as its timing, pricing, and format, will be available in the coming weeks as ALSC works through the details, and Betsy and I will have additional information in our upcoming May ALSC Matters! columns. So stay tuned, and if you have any additional questions or thoughts, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or via e-mail at [email protected].

The post Update on the #ALSC16 Institute appeared first on ALSC Blog.

From the moment touching down at Logan airport it was a great Midwinter!

I’m excited to share some of my adventures from Midwinter a couple of weeks ago and update you on the ALSC Board’s work together in Boston.

Kicking things off on Thursday, I attended an Information Policy Workshop with our veep, Betsy Orsburn, and our Executive Director, Aimee Strittmatter. As one of the key elements of ALA’s Strategic Directions, learning more about this important area was very insightful and you can learn more about the day here.

Tips for advocating for Information Policy

Quick selfie with Betsy during a break at the Information Policy Workshop at Midwinter.

Friday began with the happy task of welcoming attendees to the 2016 Bill Morris Seminar: Book Evaluation Training, which is held every other year thanks to the generosity of the William C. Morris Endowment. The Morris Seminar provides mentoring in children’s media evaluation techniques, and I couldn’t be more grateful to this year’s spectacular co-chairs Deborah Taylor and Sylvia Vardell and to all of those who shared their experiences and wisdom with attendees, one of whom, Lisa Nowlain, shared her visual impressions in an earlier blog post.

With Ashley in East Boston. (Note the Babies Need Words Every Day poster and great interactive elements in the children’s room!) Photo by Branch Librarian Margaret Kelly

That afternoon I took the opportunity to visit some libraries in the area which I’d never been to before as part of my #ALSCtour. I really appreciate the expertise of my excellent tour guide, Ashley Waring from the Reading Public Library, as we visited the East Boston branch of Boston Public Library and the Watertown Free Public Library.

Fabulous mural in the Watertown children’s room by Craig Bostick (http://www.aquaboy.net/).

Photo credit: Aimee Strittmatter

Of course a major highlight was the Youth Media Awards, and I can assure you that it’s as fun to reveal the winners to the world as I always imagined it would be when I would practice in front of my mirror! And now that we all know which books and media were honored and you’re busy celebrating them with your kids, we look forward to also celebrating their creators and selection committees at Annual in Orlando in less than 5 months.

Photo credit: ALA

The ALSC Board held two meetings during Midwinter (#ALSCboard).

The 2015-216 ALSC Board (Photo credit: ALSC)

We discussed Summer Reading & Learning as a strategic mega-issue for our association, and are looking at how ALSC can help members even more with our important summer work. We established a task force to continue this exploration and I’m delighted that Board member Christine Caputo will lead this eager group’s work as chair. Our next Community Forum, to be held later this month, will an important opportunity to hear your thoughts on this issue.

We talked about how ALSC can more thoroughly integrate the concepts of Día into all of our work throughout the year, rather than limiting its focus to one specific day, and heard from Past President KT Horning about her request to enact a statute of limitations on the confidentiality of ALSC award committees. (A Board subcommittee will explore this further over the next couple of months.) We signed on to collaborate with the Black Caucus of ALA for their new and forthcoming Walter Dean Myers Annual Memorial Lecture and began discussions (continued here) on how ALSC can support REFORMA‘s Children in Crisis project, a true example of how library services can create better futures for kids.

We got a chance to meet our Emerging Leaders, heard from the Media Mentorship Award Task Force on their proposal for recognizing those using digital media with kids in innovative ways, and also looked closely again at the current landscape for app evaluation and recognition. I believe we are moving the needle forward in these areas–please stay tuned!

Our budget is healthy, with strong award seal sales and a greater attention to policing unauthorized use of our seals on editions of award winning titles published abroad; and the work of the Diversity Within ALSC Task Force continues. Finally, in the future, all of this work will happen using Roberts Rules of Order if an item to be placed on the spring ballot to bring ALSC’s parliamentary procedure bylaw into accordance with ALA’s is approved by members.

If you have any thoughts and/or questions on any of the above, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected], and tweets from the meeting can be founding using #alscboard.

And I would like to give a special congratulatory shout-out to our fantastic Executive Director, Aimee Strittmatter, on achieving the extremely prestigious designation of Certified Association Executive. Aimee is the first ALSC Executive Director to earn this highest ranking for association professionals and we couldn’t be prouder of her and more grateful for all she does. (Her Twitter handle isn’t @LibraryCrusader for nothing!)

The post A Magnificent Midwinter #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

How fun it was to celebrate a New Year with ALSC Leadership this morning complete with shiny hats and noisemakers! @alscblog #leadalsc #alamw16

I was invited by ALSC Leadership to speak at their session on Saturday morning. ALSC President, Andrew Medlar, asked me to give a brief overview of youth services in Massachusetts and I was honored to do so-after “ringing” in the New Year of ALSC with a bit of festive fanfare! Andrew’s a pretty hard act to follow, especially since he was wearing a fabulous party hat, but I did my best.

I work as an Advisor for Youth & School Library services in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. One of my favorite aspects of this position is that I get to visit many public libraries and talk with 100s of youth librarians across the state. I recently surveyed children’s librarians in the state to learn about what they are proudest of and how ALSC impacts their work. If you’re curious follow this link for the infographic I shared at the meeting today that gives a  snapshot of the great programs and services children’s librarians in Massachusetts are offering their communities.

It was really a terrific way to start the morning and set a fun tone for the rest of my day!

The post A New Year’s Celebration for ALSC Leadership #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Cheer, cheer, cheer the year,
A new one’s just begun.
Celebrate with all your friends,
Let’s go have some fun!
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
A brand new year is here.
Learning, laughing, singing, clapping,
Through another year.

–Anonymous (to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)

Happy New Year, everyone!

Seeing out the old year, one of my final presidential activities of 2015 was also one of the most interesting. I was very happy to represent ALSC at the “Breakthroughs in Parent Engagement and Early Literacy” forum, presented by New America and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, sponsored by the Joyce Foundation, and held here in Chicago at Erikson Institute’s Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center. It was led by Lisa Guernsey and Michael Levine, authors of the book Tap, Click, Read: Growing Readers in a World of Screens, which Lisa talked about when she presented the keynote at last summer’s Leadership & ALSC meeting at ALA Annual in San Francisco.

Andrew & Aimee at #TechEarlyLit. Photo credit: Tamara Kaldor

I was joined that day by ALSC Executive Director Aimee Strittmatter, and other attendees included researchers, educators, parent-engagement specialists, and policymakers, all coming together to gain a clearer picture of the changing terrain of parenting and early learning programs in formal and informal settings, and exploring new initiatives in this area, particularly those involving evolving technology like apps. It was a chance for ALSC to spread the word about children’s librarians’ roles as Media Mentors and to collaborate with colleagues from such groups as the Institute for Educational Leadership, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, the Thirty Million Words Initiative, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning.

Photo source: http://www.erikson.edu/

For more perspectives on the forum, you can check out tweets from the day using #TechEarlyLit.

Seeing in the new, one of the first ALSC events of 2016 starts this week, as Midwinter is much earlier than usual this year. For those of you who will be in Boston, the list of ALSC activities is available here, and everybody at home can follow along here on the ALSC Blog and on Twitter with #alamw16 and #alaleftbehind. Especially useful will be the exploration of the many ways you can take advantage of our newly updated Core Competencies at Leadership & ALSC on Saturday morning (January 9) at 8:30 a.m. Eastern (in person: Convention Center Room 153A; at home: #leadALSC).

I can’t wait to be back in Boston, get to see so many friends, visit local libraries as part of my #ALSCtour, and of course learn the winners of the Youth Media Awards (YMA) on Monday morning (January 11) at 8:00 Eastern. (#ALAyma) I’ll be putting on a tie very early to emcee this year’s announcements, which is, IMO, the most exciting presidential duty, even for this non-morning person, and one which comes with a sneak peak at the winners (my lips & tweets are sealed!). If you’re planning to watch in a more casual outfit, you can check out the details on this year’s virtual pajama viewing party here. Best wishes to all of the award committees and thank you for your hard and fun work!

Midwinter is also very important for ALSC as one of the two times a year our entire Board comes together in person to work on our strategic future. (#ALSCboard) The Board’s agenda and accompanying documents are available to all here, and you will definitely be hearing from me afterwards with an account of our meetings. I’m particularly looking forward to our mega-issue discussion on ALSC’s role in the future of summer reading & learning, and if you have any thoughts or questions on any of these agenda items, please feel free to let me know at [email protected].

Cheers to the years, old and new!

The post Welcome to 2016 & See You at Midwinter! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Banners in the San Francisco Public Library’s Main Library welcomed more than 20,000 conference attendees

What a conference!

ALA’s 2015 Annual Conference was full of more energy, enthusiasm, equality, and engagement than any I’ve ever witnessed, and whether you were one of the tens of thousands attending in San Francisco, were following from elsewhere in the world on social media (#alaac15 & #alaleftbehind), or are just now taking a quick breather from summer reading to catch up here on the ALSC Blog, I hope you can see that the future of library service to children is an exciting one!

A bird’s eye view of San Francisco’s Moscone Center and its rainbow flags, home base of the 2015 ALA Annual Conference

In addition to learning and connecting, Annual is also a time of business when Board, staff, committees, and task forces work hard to move our association forward. There are two ALSC Board meetings at Annual and you can peruse the Board’s documents here and find updates on Twitter (#alscboard).

I’d like to bring you up to speed, as well. FYI, this past week, the ALSC Board:

• Considered a report from the Evolving Carnegie Task Force, which was charged with investigating the opportunities for evolving the Carnegie Medal from an award recognizing what was an evolving format at the time of its establishment a quarter of a century ago (videos) to current evolving formats and/or those who are doing great work with them. The next step is having further conversations with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, our partner in the support of this award.
• Heard from the chair of the Diversity within ALSC Task Force, Jos Holman, about their early work “to thoroughly examine diversity within all areas of ALSC such as membership, recruitment, award committees, and leadership and to recommend short-term and long-term strategies for developing richer diversity within the association.”
• Partnered with the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee (CSK) to pilot the expansion of ALSC’s Bill Morris Seminar in 2016 to include CSK members.
• Adjusted the expanded definitions in the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal committee manual to clarify the importance and eligibility of illustrated, graphic, and primary source materials in consideration of the Sibert award.
• Gave a collective thumbs-up to the Program Coordinating Committee’s great slate of proposed programs for next year’s Annual Conference in Orlando. (You won’t want to miss it June 23-28, 2016!)
• Approved ALSC’s healthy fiscal year 2016 budget, as recommended by the Budget Committee, with some exciting growth opportunities which you’ll be hearing about over the next couple of months.
• Wrapped up, together with the Organization & Bylaws Committee, the expansion of some committees to include co-chairs with overlapping terms to foster communication and continuity.
• Reviewed and discussed the Education Committee’s proposed scheduled revision of ALSC’s Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries; the final update will be available soon.

Thank you to all of our committees and task forces who work so diligently during and between conferences, as this work is truly where the rubber meets the road in achieving ALSC’s strategic goals of Advocacy, Education and Access to Library Services. Special gratitude is due to Local Arrangements Committee chair Christy Estrovitz and her entire team for all of their incredible work making ALSC members feel welcome in the Bay Area!

Then, as the sun began to set on the Bay and on Annual, it was time to bid farewell to Immediate Past President Starr LaTronica and other departing Board members Lisa Von Drasek, Rita Auerbach, Jamie Campbell Naidoo, and Michael Santangelo, and to welcome Vice President/President-Elect Betsy Orsburn and new Board members Jenna Nemec-Loise, Christine Caputo, Vicky Smith, and Mary Voors to the table. And, as I was honored to pick up the gavel as ALSC President for 2015-16, I look forward to hearing from you with any questions or ideas at [email protected].

Past President Starr LaTronica, Immediate Past President Ellen Riordan, and President Andrew Medlar at the ALA Inaugural Brunch on June 30, 2015

 (All photos courtesy Andrew Medlar)

The post A is for Annual appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Many thanks to all of the candidates who ran for division office this year. We appreciate their willingness to put their names forward for the division. Here are the results from the 2015 ALSC elections:

Vice President/President-Elect

Elizabeth “Betsy” Orsburn, Philadelphia, PA

Board of Directors

Christine Caputo, Free Library of Philadelphia-TOPSS, Philadelphia, PA
Vicky Smith, Kirkus Reviews, Portland, ME
Mary Voors, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN

Division Councilor

Jenna Nemec-Loise, Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IL

Caldecott 2017 Committee

Stacy Dillon, Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School (LREI), New York, NY
Laurie Reese, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA
Ashley Waring, Reading Public Library, Reading, MA
Brian Wilson, Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL
Erica Dean Glenn, Berkeley Public Library, Oakland, CA
Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, Chappaqua, NY
Janet Mumford, James McKinney Elementary School Library, Victoria, BC CANADA
Holly Jin, Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL

Newbery 2017 Committee

Daniel Meyer, Kew Gardens Hills, NY
Brandy Sanchez, Daniel Boone Regional Library, Columbia, MO
Tony Carmack, Rocklin Library, Rocklin, CA
Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD
Laura Lutz, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York, NY
Matthew Krueger, Irondequoit Public Library, Rochester, NY
Maryann Owen, Oak Creek Public Library, Oak Creek, WI
Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Library, Calgary, AB CANADA

Sibert 2017 Committee

Elise DeGuiseppi, Pierce County Library System, Tacoma, WA
Ted McCoy, Springfield City Library, Springfield, MA
Gail Nordstrom, Viking Library System, Fergus Falls, MN
Louise Capizzo, Scarborough Public Library, Scarborough, ME
Michael Rogalla, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL

Wilder 2017 Committee

Robin Gibson, Westerville Public Library, Westerville, OH
Luann Toth, School Library Journal, New York, NY
Virginia Walter, Venice, CA

A full list of election information including candidates and proposed amendments is available from the ALSC Election Information page.

To learn more about ALA’s election results, please visit the ALA Election Information page.

The post 2015 ALSC Election Results appeared first on ALSC Blog.

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2015-16 ALSC Vice President/President-Elect: Tali Balas and Elizabeth “Betsy” Orsburn. Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers.

This afternoon’s interview is with Tali Balas:

1.  What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President?

I think the most important role of the ALSC President is to be a leader; and by that I mean she needs to be able to listen, build consensus, and make tough decisions. ALSC is an amazing organization filled with bright, caring professionals who come from a variety of backgrounds and who are in various stages of their careers. The President needs to be able to listen to the members and help build consensus so that the organization and the members continue to thrive. Sometimes this means making decisions that are not 100% agreed upon but we need to trust the process we have so that we can continue to grow and move forward.

2.  What skills & strengths would you bring to the office?

Passion, creativity, consistency, and organization. I have an enormous amount of energy and drive and would be honored to apply my skills to keeping ALSC vital in the 21st century. I am a process nerd and love figuring out how an organization works and how it could improve without losing its core values.

3.  What area of library service to children is your favorite?

I love it all! Outreach, programming, teaching, collection development, cataloging, finances. The beauty of being a school librarian is that I am able to do everything from processing books to putting on puppet shows. This variety is why I love being a children’s librarian!

4.  Why should someone choose to join ALSC? What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long-term members?

ALSC offers library professionals the opportunity to meet people from all over the country who have different experiences and points of view. This mix of people creates a dynamic space that allows for new ideas and relationships to form. ALSC provides its members with so many opportunities to develop professionally which is imperative whether you are early or late in your career. It is because of ALSC that I learned about the difference between endowments and long-term investments, how to create a strategic plan, and conduct a webinar. ALSC provides experiences that are not necessarily available at a local level.

5.  What are your ideas for reaching and involving members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?

The advantage of being a member of ALSC is the impact you can have at a national level and the relationships you can develop with people from around the country. We need our current members to speak with their local colleagues and find out what they need, bring that information back to ALSC, and find ways to meet those needs. Recruiting new members is something that all of our current members can do to help ALSC remain active and current. I would also like our current members to create a reel for youtube on the benefits of ALSC to help us reach even more potential members.

6.  How has ALSC membership impacted your life? How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?

ALSC has completely shaped my professional life. My career and my program have been elevated in ways I would never have expected. At the beginning of my career I learned new programming skills, heard about innovative services others were offering and fell in love with first time authors. Later, ALSC provided me with opportunities to learn about organizations, management, and process in ways I wouldn’t have had in a one school environment. But, most importantly, it gave me the courage to try new things in my program that have had a huge impact on how my students experience the library. On a personal level, I have been introduced to amazing professionals who have become lifelong friends and supportive colleagues.

7.  Changes in the economy and advances in technology are dramatically impacting libraries. What are your thoughts on how ALSC can best continue to be a positive force for librarians, for libraries, and for children?

We need to encourage librarians to embrace the change and go boldly into the future. ALSC will continue to broadcast the importance of libraries and support librarians in their communities. We need to make sure that people understand the value that librarians bring in an age where everything is done by consensus. There is a major difference between a librarian’s expertise and the reviews on Amazon. ALSC needs to be at the forefront of advocating for librarians and libraries.

8.  ALSC has a commitment to conversations on diversity and inclusion and the essential roles that children’s librarians have in ensuring rich and diverse collections and programming. How will you work to enhance this commitment?

I want to continue to build on the momentum that is focused right now on ensuring that diversity, in all of its manifestations, is reflected in materials for children at all levels. Having the books themselves is not negotiable if we want to create diverse collections and programming. We also need to make sure that those books reach children, that librarians are buying the books for their collections and that they are getting on the shelves. I have always wanted to create a legion of librarians who makeover a library in need by processing, cataloging and shelving books leaving the librarian time and energy to create quality programming with a revamped space.

9.  What is your motivation in running for this position?

My desire is to make sure that ALSC is front and center in the national discussion when we talk about what services are imperative in a child’s life. I want to translate the passion I have for making sure that high quality library services are available to all children into tangible items that will help our members and the organization move forward.

10.  What else would you like the voting ALSC membership to know about you before they vote?

I believe that the gravitas of ALSC needs to be deepened through a marketing campaign that is followed by actions that are strong and clear. I have a vision that ALSC is well known in all types of learning and political institutions and can advocate effectively for funding for all communities. Libraries will once again be recognized as the cornerstone of a democratic society and our goal should be that everyone should have access to the myriad variety of services we provide.

Thank you, Tali!

The post Tali Balas: 2015 -16 ALSC Vice President/President Elect Candidate appeared first on ALSC Blog.

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2015-16 ALSC Vice President/President-Elect: Elizabeth “Betsy” Orsburn and Tali Balas. Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers.

This morning’s interview is with Elizabeth “Betsy” Orsburn:

1. What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President?

Photo by Christine Caputo

As president I would serve as the presiding officer for our organization’s governance. Yet I would consider my most important role to be the ALSC communicator-in-chief, keeping our association united around our goals and objectives and eager to face what the future brings. Our association is organized for the purpose of “creating a better future for children through libraries,” so that through free and equal access to library services, children can & will develop a love of reading and learning and become responsible citizens in our communities. It is through the united strength of our dedicated children’s librarians & educators that ALSC makes a difference both locally and nationally. Representing the ALSC membership within ALA and on the national stage would be another important aspect of the communicator’s role. To accomplish this, I pledge to listen to our members’ suggestions and concerns and encourage all means of two-way communication as a crucial part of my becoming the members’ true representative.

2.  What skills & strengths would you bring to the office?

Organization and communication are my top two professional strengths; and through years of management experience, I have honed them into skills. I believe both would be excellent assets for the office of ALSC president. In addition, I have the time, energy, experience and enthusiasm to accept the challenge of standing for election to Vice-President/President-Elect.

3.  What area of library service to children is your favorite?

Training/ Professional Development would have to be my favorite, and I was fortunate enough to serve as a Continuing Educator/Inservice Trainer for children’s librarians at the Free Library of Philadelphia and in the state of Pennsylvania. Although I spent most of my library career working on city-wide library programming for children, teens, families, caregivers and educators, participating on the 2014 Newbery Committee brought back to me the JOY of reading and evaluating children’s books. Several grant-funded programs allowed us to experiment & evaluate youth programming using the latest technologies. It’s hard to pick just one favorite area of library service from my many experiences; really the only task I didn’t enjoy was cataloging.

4.  Why should someone choose to join ALSC? What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long-term members?

Nowhere else can you find such a welcoming cooperative community of dedicated professionals united around our common goal of providing excellent library service & reading materials for children, than ALSC. Especially for new members, ALSC offers graduate scholarship money and travel scholarships to attend annual conference. Our association gives grants and fellowships to recognize our members, support outstanding programming, and aid in continuing education; there is also special funding to support library programming and collections. ALSC is a treasure-trove of educational opportunities with formal and informal mentoring, sharing in-person through programs, conferences, and institutes, virtually through online courses, ALSC blog, and Connect, and through CHILDREN AND LIBRARIES and other print materials. The opportunities to participate in ALSC process and award committees provide seasoned members with unparalleled professional and personal development; it’s better leadership training for librarians than any MBA program. As an ALA member with many years of experience under my belt, ALSC is still “my professional family” that provides education, comradery, supports and challenges that keep me actively involved. And I am proud that ALSC is a voice on the national level advocating for free, equal library services for all children.

5.  What are your ideas for reaching and involving members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?

Communication in all forms within ALSC is as important as our outreach for new members, and I pledge to keep this communication two-way and interactive. Because growing ALSC membership is such a critical priority for our association, I would commit to becoming an ex-offico member of the ALSC Membership Committee while serving as Vice-President/President-Elect. This hard-working standing committee has always executed excellent recruitment activities that promote the advantages of belonging to our association, as well as the many services and programs available to all members. I have enjoyed participating in ALSC 101 at past annual conferences, when I served on the ALSC Board, and I wholeheartedly support the ALSC Roadshow and continuing the funding for our ALSC volunteers to present, staff booths or coordinate social events at state and local conferences. Another support provided by ALSC through the Education Committee is the opportunity to be matched with an experienced librarian that has volunteered to share their knowledge and mentor newer members.

6.  How has ALSC membership impacted your life? How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?

ALSC keeps me up-to-date and knowledgeable about the latest innovations and information in our profession. This organization has enriched my personal and professional life with friends, mentors, and educational programs, as well as numerous opportunities to develop my professional skills. I was privileged to present on conference program panels, to serve on the ALSC Board of Directors, and to serve on two Newbery Award Committees. All of which helped to build my knowledge, confidence and professional reputation.

My membership in ALSC has always made me a better and more informed children’s librarian and administrator of children’s library services and programming. The professional development materials including annual conference programs, institute sessions, and training materials such as Every Child Ready to Read, were and are so outstanding, I brought the information and sometimes even the official trainers to the Free Library of Philadelphia for our children’s librarians and other interested staff. And today I promote ALSC online materials and membership to my grad students at Drexel.

7.  Changes in the economy and advances in technology are dramatically impacting libraries. What are your thoughts on how ALSC can best continue to be a positive force for librarians, for libraries, and for children??

Challenges to the national economy have only re-enforced my commitment to ALSC and its strong national advocacy, which provides information and support for state and local resources for children in both public and school libraries. ALSC must continue this vital leadership role of advocacy for children and increased funding for libraries no matter what is happening in our nation’s economy. Another positive force from ALSC is the Everyday Advocacy project that empowers librarians to speak out. So whether on the local or national level, the association must ensure that it has a “place at the table” whenever decisions are made that affect children’s rights to libraries that are staffed with professional librarians.

Staying ahead of the curve with technology is essential for providing excellent library service to children, and ALSC serves as the fountainhead of knowledge in the field of library technology & its effects on children. By demonstrating, evaluating and educating our members on the best tech devices, systems, programs, applications, and materials currently available, our budget-starved libraries can wisely spend their limited funds on the best products & materials for children. Dealing with new media and technology is when I rely on our association’s newer members to help me & the other more experienced librarians to become more tech-savvy.

8.  ALSC has a commitment to conversations on diversity and inclusion and the essential roles that children’s librarians have in ensuring rich and diverse collections and programming. How will you work to enhance this commitment?

One of ALSC’s strong commitments to diversity can currently be seen in our joint support with Reforma for the DIA: Diversity in Action program. As ALSC President, I would certainly want to continue the exciting efforts that culminated at ALA Mid-Winter 2015 with the Day of Diversity and the Diversity Matters sessions. These conversations included finding practical strategies for increasing diversity awareness in the publishing and library worlds, ways to increase diversity in print and digital materials available for children, how to attract diverse children and families into libraries, and ways to build partnerships to create and share resources that support multicultural programming. From these rich conversations, our association will be able to formulate a plan of action and what our next steps will be. I believe that ALSC will institutionalize our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and if elected, I pledge to make this a priority. In addition, I have a strong commitment to support diversity among our membership.

9.  What is your motivation in running for this position?

I want to pay forward the numerous benefits that ALSC has provided for me. My membership in ALSC has enhanced my professional career and increased my enjoyment of children’s librarianship and literature so much. I look at standing for this election as my way of giving back to the organization that has given so much to me.

I wholly support the ALSC strategic plan and its blueprint for our organization, but we also need re-evaluate the plan and increase our commitments to diversity and emerging technologies. This is not a criticism of our strategic plan, which was formulated in 2010-11 when I was a Board member. Our strategic plan calls for a re-examination in 5 years (in 2017), and I would like to be part of this re-assessment.

10.  What else would you like the voting ALSC membership to know about you before they vote?

Here are three miscellaneous facts:

• When not reading children’s books, I enjoy non-fiction, biographies and historical fiction. I guess the college history major in me still comes through.
• I have come full circle since retiring from The Free Library of Philadelphia, by returning to my alma mater Drexel University to become an adjunct professor and teach Children’s Literature. Taking an earlier version of this same Children’s Literature course at Drexel was what convinced me to become a Children’s Librarian.
• My orientation trainings as a new Children’s Librarian were led by Carolyn W. Field and Helen Mullen, both of whom served as ALSC presidents.

Thank you, Betsy!

The post Elizabeth “Betsy” Orsburn: 2015-16 ALSC Vice President/President Elect Candidate appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Do you have a colleague who is a well-organized and knowledgeable manager, a skilled and articulate book evaluator, or an intelligent and creative leader in the field of youth services? Do you recognize one or more of these qualities in yourself? We are looking for ALSC members committed to our core values — Collaboration, Excellence, Inclusiveness, Innovation, Integrity and Respect, Leadership, and Responsiveness — to serve our association. The 2015 ALSC poll will open soon for voting, and it’s time to start thinking about next year’s slate of candidates.

The members of the 2016 ALSC Nominating Committee encourage you to make recommendations for the following positions for the spring 2016 ballot:

• ALSC Vice-President/President-Elect
• ALSC Board Director
• New to ALSC Board Director
• ALSC Fiscal Officer
• ALSC 2018 Caldecott Award Committee Member
• ALSC 2018 Newbery Award Committee Member
• ALSC 2018 Sibert Award Committee Member
• ALSC 2018 Wilder Award Committee Member

The deadline for member nominations for the 2016 slate is Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Simply fill out the online suggestion form at:

Suggestion Form for 2016 ALSC Ballot 

We appreciate your assistance, and look forward to hearing from you.

The post Nominate a Colleague for the 2016 ALSC Ballot appeared first on ALSC Blog.

On Friday, January 30, 2015 the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), in collaboration with the Children’s Book Council hosted the invitation-only Day of Diversity: Dialogue and Action in Children’s Literature and Library Programming. Recognizing the conversations at the event was of interest to a much larger audience than we were able to accommodate at the Day of Diversity, ALSC and the CBC Diversity Committee sponsored a follow up program at ALA Midwinter. ALSC will continue to share information and outcomes from this event widely.

On Monday, February 2nd during their Session II meeting, the ALSC Board of Directors reflected on the Day of Diversity and put together a list of commitments by the Association for the next three months and the next six months.

This isn’t the start of the diversity or inclusion conversation for ALSC, nor by any means is it the end. This list reflects the measurable next steps that ALSC’s leadership has committed the Association to taking in the short term. These steps include educational opportunities for our members and opportunities for all ALSC members to add their voice and ideas to this conversation. We look forward to your participation and feedback throughout.

Completed

• At the ALSC Board of Directors Session II on Monday, February 2, 2015 – the Board voted to move the start time of ALSC’s All-Committee meeting, during Annual Conference only, to 10:30AM – 12:00PM to allow for more participation by ALSC members at the CSK Breakfast. The Board recognizes that this may limit the amount of time committees have to work, but encourages chairs to work throughout the year virtually between meetings to disperse the workload.

3 Months

• ALSC President Ellen Riordan will host an open online Day of Diversity Forum in February 2015. Stay tuned for the finalized date and time.

• ALSC will host a free Building STEAM with Día webinar.

• ALSC will craft, and make available, a value based elevator speech about Día in order to assist youth services librarians in advocating for resources to plan Día and other multicultural programming.

• ALSC will convene a taskforce that will review multiple areas within the Association including materials, services and profession; and propose high level changes to move the diversity needle forward within children’s librarianship.

6 Months

• ALSC will complete a Building STEAM with Día Toolkit.

• Together, ALSC and the Children’s Book Council, will compile Day of Diversity survey results, resources, and participant’s personal ‘next steps’ and make information available online.

• An “action” tab will be placed on the Día website which will contain resources shared at the Day of Diversity with additional content added. Additionally, ALSC will link to these resources from the professional tools portion of the ALSC website.

• ALSC award and evaluation committee chair trainings will include a discussion about inclusion and diversity.

The post ALSC’s Next Steps after Day of Diversity appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Chicago still has long coffee lines, it’s really snowing, and ALA staff is just an L ride away, but it’s just not the same around here without all of you! (I think most planes, trains, and cars have finally made it out, am I right?)

It really was another magnificent Midwinter and my yesterday, Monday, was a great way to wrap it up.

The Youth Media Awards, obviously! Congrats & thanks to all of the committees and staff who made it a reality. Well done, also, to the folks on the podium with the early morning responsibility and thrill of telling the world! Afterwards, I was reunited with my ALSC Budget Committee compatriots as we tied a bow on the preliminary proposed budget for FY16, which the Board later approved. We also recommended applying some of the generous Friends of ALSC donations to supporting early literacy work and connecting babies and words. Also approved!

The second ALSC Board meeting from 1:30-5:45 was one of the most productive I’ve ever seen! We made changes to the Annual conference schedule so that there aren’t any ALSC committee conflicts with the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast, moved forward with a strategy for the strong future of ALSC’s Online Continuing Education, adopted a proactive conflict of interest policy, and built on our commitment to diversity by enhancing our Day of Diversity action plan. There are many great things to come!

Then some relaxation at the joint ALSC & YALSA reception, thanks to 3M, and a toast to fantastic times ahead and a better future for kids through libraries. Cheers!

The post Missing You #alamw15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Andrew is reading Pedro and the Monkey by Robert D. San Souci, illustrated by Michael Hays (Morrow Junior Books, 1996) at the Dr. José Rizal sculpture in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Dr. Rizal (1861-1896) “is the Philippine national hero, the ‘father of his country,’ the founder of its modern literature, the inspirer of its educational system” (Reines, Bernard. A People’s Hero: Rizal of the Philippines. New York, Praeger Publishers, 1971.).

The National Library of the Philippines is sponsoring an International Conference of Children’s Librarianship in Tagaytay City next month and I’m very excited to be attending to represent ALSC! The theme of the conference is “Connecting and Linking of Information through Transformed Children’s Libraries to the Digital Era,” and I’ll be giving a presentation on the first evening, October 13,  on the topic of “Envisioning a 21^st Century Children’s Library.”

This topic is right up ALSC’s alley as our core purpose is creating a better future for children through libraries, and I’m looking forward to reaching out and sharing how we’re moving together into our association’s envisioned future in which “libraries are recognized as vital to all children and the communities that support them.”

I would love your help in telling this story! What is your vision of a 21^st Century Children’s Library for your community? We’re talking collections, technology, programming, spaces—and anything else you can think of. What innovations in library service to children can you imagine developing in the 85 years still to come in this century, and what traditions and proven tactics will we be carrying forward?

Please share your ideas you’d like me to spread around the world by September 16 in the comments section below or by clicking and submitting them here. If you have a picture of something special you’re doing now that you feel represents the future and you’d be willing for me to include it in the conference presentation, please e-mail them to me at [email protected]. You can also tweet pictures and any other thoughts using #21stkidlib.

And please follow me on Twitter (@ammlib) where I’ll be gearing up for the trip by exploring Filipino folklore (find my reading list here), practicing ordering coffee in Filipino (Higit kape mangyaring), and warming up my taste buds at some of Chicago’s delicious Filipino restaurants. And throughout the trip (October 10-16) I’ll be sharing my experiences and the amazing ideas of our colleagues across the globe using #andrewinasia.

Thanks!

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Andrew Medlar is the 2014-15 ALSC Vice President/President-Elect and the Assistant Chief, Technology, Content, & Innovation, at Chicago Public Library.

Due to the ALSC Board of Directors recent action to annually award the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the 2015 ALSC Nominating Committee is seeking recommendations for candidates for membership on the Wilder Award Selection Committee. This ballot will be voted on in the spring of 2015 and members elected will serve on the 2017 Wilder Award Committee.

Do you work with a youth services professional whose knowledge, skills and experience you admire? Do you have a colleague who can communicate clearly, critically and concisely about children’s literature? Have you served on a committee with an ALSC member who embodies our core values like respect, collaboration and leadership? We want to know about them.

Don’t be shy – if you are interested in one of these positions and possess these qualities, put your own name forward as a possible Wilder Award candidate for the 2015 slate.

The members of the ALSC Nominating Committee look forward to your suggestions!

Please be sure that your nominee’s ALSC membership remains current. Nominees who have let their membership lapse are not eligible for consideration. Also consider encouraging your nominees to nominate themselves, as this provides us with more complete background information.

DEADLINE: Sunday, August 31, 2014

Access the ALSC Nominee Form for 2017 Wilder Committee.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award is given to an author or illustrator “whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”

During the 2014 ALA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, the ALSC board voted to change the frequency of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from every other year to every year.

There is such richness and depth among the field of children’s literature creators. Making the Wilder Award an annual honor gives ALSC increased opportunity to honor the significant contributions individual authors and illustrators have made over the course of their careers. It will also decrease confusion among ALSC members and others regarding when the award is given. No longer will the question, “Is this a Wilder year?” need to be asked or answered. Every year will be a Wilder year!

History:

The Wilder Award was first given in 1954 to its namesake, Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was awarded every five years through 1980. The frequency was then changed to every three years, which began with the 1983 award and continued through 2001. It became a biannual award starting in 2003 and this schedule will continue through the upcoming 2015 award.

Implementation:

The transition to the Wilder becoming an annual award will begin with a 2016 Wilder Committee. The 2017 committee that was just elected by the ALSC membership in May will be renamed the 2016 Wilder Award Committee. They will begin their work at the close of the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting just as all the other 2016 ALSC award committees, and they will work within the newly established Wilder Award one-year timeframe to name a 2016 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award recipient. (Under the biannual schedule, which the current 2015 Wilder committee is following, Wilder Award committees have done their work over two years.)

The Wilder Award will continue to be announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting award press conference, and to be given at the ALSC Sunday night award banquet at the ALA Annual Meeting, which will be known from now on as the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder Banquet.

For more information on the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, including a list of past recipients, go to: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/wildermedal

The board decision was in response to the report of the board-appointed Wilder Award Frequency Task Force chaired by JoAnn Jonas and including members Amy Kellman, Martha Parravano and myself.

As always, the board welcomes your thoughts.

Megan Schliesman for the ALSC Board

Occasionally ALSC members wonder why ALSC award titles are automatically added to our list of Notable Books for Children. The ALSC Board periodically considers issues such as this to make sure we’re shepherding our awards and lists of recommended media appropriately. At its Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, the ALSC Board reaffirmed the policy that all award and honor books chosen by ALSC book award committees will be automatically included on our Notable Books list. I am writing as a member of the Board because we wanted to share a summary of our discussion and thinking.

It was the consensus of the Board that the Notables list represents our division and, as such, should include the books cited by our award committees. Although some have argued that the Notables list should only include titles chosen by the Notable Books Committee itself, the Board sees the list as a cooperative effort between the Notables Committee and the awards committees. When members accept appointment to the Notables Committee, they do so with the understanding that the award titles, as specified in the Notables Manual, will be included on the final list.

It has also been suggested that including the award titles limits the number of books the Notables Committee can cite on its own. This is not at all the case. The Notables Manual does not specify a maximum number of titles for the Notables list. Clearly some Notables chairs prefer a shorter list than others, and some years produce more outstanding books than others, but the inclusion of award titles in no way limits the number of books the Notables Committee can add to its list.

This policy only applies to books honored by the ALSC award committees – Newbery, Caldecott, Batchelder, Belpré, Geisel, and Sibert. The Board respects the significance and value of other ALA youth book awards; only the ALSC award books, however, will be automatically included since these are the books chosen by our division’s members on our division’s committees. The Notables list on our website will include links to the other ALA youth book awards.

We welcome responses to this policy from our members.

Rita Auerbach on behalf of the ALSC Board

Dear fellow ALSC members:

Please pardon my delay in joining the current conversation surrounding the clarification of confidentiality in regard to reviewing, social media and electronic communication for members of ALSC award committees. My hotel does not have wi-fi and the business center closes at 4 pm, (apparently most of “what happens in Vegas” doesn’t happen online), and combined with required meetings yesterday my reading and response to email has been significantly delayed.

Over the past several years the ALSC office and officers have fielded a growing number of inquiries from members of award committees regarding appropriate written expression which maintains the confidentiality and integrity of the awards. The guidelines that had served us well were no longer sufficient to navigate the wildfire landscape of electronic communication and the exponential dissemination of opinion that occurs.

In response, the ALSC Board appointed a task force which including past and present award chairs, reviewers and a blogger and a representative from publishing to provide a broad and textured range of perspective. This dedicated group diligently consulted with colleagues, discussed and deliberated before presenting their recommendation to the ALSC Board last January during midwinter. There was further careful consideration and conversation between the Task Force and the Board in a public meeting which ultimately resulted in adoption of their recommendations. Mahnaz Dar from School Library Journal interviewed me and reported on this issue shortly after Midwinter.

The intention of this clarification is to support, not suppress the members of the award committees. Some recent responses have labelled this action as “preemptive” in a pejorative manner. To return to the wildfire analogy, it is better to prevent a fire than try to contain one that has been set ablaze. Indeed, there have been cases when an individual has (inadvertently) crossed the line of confidentiality and has later removed a blog post.

That is becoming ever more difficult in this age of instant re-tweeting and “sharing”. Once information and opinion has been unleashed, it can no longer be retrieved. Even traditional means of disseminating information can unintentionally go awry, (e.g. the unfortunate premature release of this year’s acceptance speeches prior to the awards banquet, ironically by The Horn Book). By providing clear and, yes, cautious parameters members have a better sense of the expectations of conduct and can avoid these missteps which are potentially embarrassing for the poster.

The issue of reviewing while on an awards committee predates the current communication climate. During my tenures on award committees, I elected to review only titles that would were ineligible for that committee: books from other countries, books for young adults, etc., as did many of my fellow committee members. The editors of School Library Journal understood and, indeed, expected and respected that discretion.

The Task Force and the Board carefully considered the implications of these clarifications regarding the service of editors of review media on award committees. It was determined that there would not be an issue if those editors did not publish signed reviews of eligible books. Again, titles outside the parameters of the committee’s consideration could be individually and specifically reviewed. We recognize the expertise and experience of these professionals and value their contribution to the process.

Award committees have structures in in place that preserve the integrity of process and thus the award itself. Indeed, I have twice had the privilege of serving as a judge for The New York Times Best Illustrated Books, (both times with Roger Sutton). We were strictly prohibited form telling anyone of our role until after publication of the list to avoid undue influence over selection and revelation. (This required months of keeping a delicious secret to myself, when I love to share information!) I am currently a judge for the National Book Award which has its own set of guidelines regulating conduct and confidentiality.

It is the responsibility of the Board to protect the integrity of the process of the ALSC awards in stewardship this very valuable asset of the association. We would have been remiss not to have responded to the changing conditions that necessitated this thorough examination and careful contemplation of practice.

I am grateful to all for your passion and professionalism surrounding this issue and for the opportunity to address your concerns and questions.

As many of us begin to gather in Las Vegas for this year’s ALA Annual Conference, the excitement is building for the big event on Sunday evening, the Newbery-Caldecott Banquet, when we’ll celebrate the medal- and honor-winning book creators of two of the most prestigious awards in the world. This year there is a bit more buzz than usual as folks read and respond to this week’s editorial in Horn Book which expresses some concerns about a months-old revision to ALSC’s “Policy for Service on Award Committees”. As a member of the ALSC Board of Directors and chair of the Task Force that developed the recommendations that were subsequently adopted unanimously by the entire Board last January, I’m happy to provide some background about the updates.

This Policy, which applies to those ALSC members serving on the selection committees of the book and media awards administered solely by ALSC (including the Caldecott, Geisel, Newbery, and Sibert, among others), has existed for a long time with the purpose of supporting members in fulfilling the responsibilities that come with the honor of accepting the opportunity to volunteer on one of these committees. These include guidelines on issues ranging from the importance of attending the committee meetings to the fact that it wouldn’t be fair for an author or a publisher of an eligible book (or their close family members) to serve on a committee that could possibly consider their own book for a medal.

They also include guidelines regarding the confidentiality of the award process. This is an area in which the ALSC leadership and staff receive many, many questions every year from committee members who are anxious to respect the privacy of fellow committee members and creators of eligible titles. Those aspects of the guidelines, as they stood through last year, were causing more confusion than clarity, in large part because they were written before the full advent of social media and therefore couldn’t entirely take into account the increased number of forums which exist today where books and media are publicly and electronically discussed.

To address that, last year the ALSC Board appointed a Task Force which I chaired and which included members with backgrounds in blogging, reviewing, marketing for a major publisher, serving on many different award committees, chairing the Newbery committee, and consulting for chairs of award selection committees. Our objective was “To review and update the ALSC Policy for Service on Award Committees document with further clarification in regard to the confidentiality and conflict of interest guidelines as they pertain to bloggers and others engaged in social media activities while serving on an ALSC Award Committee” and to provide those recommendations to the ALSC Board for their action on them.

Task #1 was to determine if maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the awards and the award process, as mentioned above, even still mattered in this day and age. After all, some media awards encourage open, public discussion (such as ALSC’s Notable Lists) and some present short lists of nominees (like the Academy Awards). Following conscientious discussion, consideration, and consultation with many stakeholders over many months, it became clear that confidentiality remains key to the success of these particular awards which are so important to ALSC members, the publishing industry, and kids around the world.

In today’s electronic environment, any recorded comments can quickly and uncontrollably go viral, and the Horn Book editorial is a perfect example of how words (like the revised ALSC guidelines), written with the best of intentions, can be taken out of context, misconstrued, and distributed within seconds. In short, when they’re no longer confidential the writer has no control over how they’re used.

Another change over time is that book reviews and their journals are moving further and faster away from being individual print copies in a pile on a desk seen only by collection development librarians and are very much part of the e-environment, quickly turning into database articles, tweets, posts, and marketing material for online shopping. When reviews (which by definition tell the writer’s opinion of the quality of the material—how “distinguished” it is, to use a word appearing in many an ALSC award criteria) go public in these and other ways, and the name on them is that of a committee member, it can be (and has been) easily interpreted as showing the hand of the committee. It also can be (and has been) very possible for committee members to hold off on tweeting, Facebooking, and posting about titles which are eligible for their specific award (and only their specific award) for the short time of their service.

An additional product of the Task Force was an expansion of the FAQs, which all award committee members receive, which offer guidance and support for how to talk about and promote books during award committee service, because it is extremely important, as the FAQs say, to “obtain a variety of critical opinions about books under consideration throughout the year,” and that can most definitely be done “without violating confidentiality guidelines.”

Please feel free to take a look at our Task Force’s documents, which are available on ALA Connect with no log-in necessary:

• The Final Report of the Task Force to the ALSC Board of Directors
• The proposed revised policy itself
• The proposed revised FAQs to explain the guidelines, provide concrete examples, and support book discussion and conversation

These are simply taking the guidelines which have been in place for many, many years, applying them to today’s digital reality, and clarifying the gray areas so that committee members may perform and enjoy both their committee work and their other professional responsibilities, which may or may not include publishing signed reviews, while respecting the integrity and excitement of the most important awards for children’s books and media.

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Our guest blogger today is Andrew Medlar. Andrew is the Division Councilor for ALSC, serving on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, and chaired the ALSC Award Service and Social Media Review Task Force in 2013.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

Many thanks to all of the candidates who ran for division office this year. These folks put their time and talents up for the division and we thank them. Here are the results from the 2014 ALSC Elections:

Vice President/President-elect

Andrew Medlar

Board of Director

Doris Gebel
Julie Roach
Kay Weisman

2016 Caldecott Committee

Lauren, Anduri
Alan Bailey
Brian Fahey
Jill Bellomy
Karen MacPherson
Sarah Bean Thompson
Tess Prendergast
Tessa Michaelson-Schmidt

2016 Newbery Committee

Allie Jane Bruce
Cheryl Lee
Christine Scheper
Destinee Sutton
Eric Barbus
Joanna Ward
Shawn Brommer
Ty Burns

2016 Sibert Committee

Alan Bern
Eric Gomez
Grace Ruth
Nick Glass
Susan Lempke

2017 Wilder Committee

Maria Gentle
Carolyn Phelan
Kathleen Isaacs

To learn more about ALA’s election results, please visit the ALA Election Information page.

The ALSC Board of Directors conducts open meetings at Annual Conference and during the Midwinter Meeting, but the Board also attends to business between those occasions.

The members of the ALSC Board communicate with one another and conduct association business on the ALSC Board Electronic Discussion List, ALSCBOARD. I invite all interested individuals to stay current with ALSC issues and business proceedings by subscribing to ALSCBOAD at http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/alscboard. Subscribers receive all posts to the list, (but cannot post messages themselves), including notices of online meetings which can be followed by members via ALA Connect.  The results of any actions taken by the Board in these online sessions are also posted the ALSCBOARD.

Archives of discussions on ALSCBOARD may be found at http://www.ala.org/alsc/compubs/alsc20/alscdisclist/edlarchives.

Please join me and my fellow board members in examining the issues that shape our organization. And be sure to check out the other ALSC electronic discussion lists at http://www.ala.org/alsc/compubs/alsc20/alscdisclist.  There are online communities dedicated to storytelling, preschool services, legislative issues, Día and more.  Remember, the more we get together, the happier we’ll be!

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2014-15 ALSC Vice President/President-Elect: Tim Wadham and Andrew Medlar. Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers.

This afternoon’s interview is with Andrew Medlar:

1.      What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President?

Photo supplied by Andrew Medlar

The ALSC President must enthusiastically and wisely lead our organization along the track of our strategic plan toward the Big Hairy Audacious Goal of ensuring that libraries are recognized as vital to all children and the communities that support them. A key element of that is the responsibility to facilitate and support the brilliant work that our members are doing every day and to represent us to the rest of ALA and the wider world.

2.      What skills & strengths would you bring to the office?

I like to put ideas into action, and one thing that will enable me to do this effectively as President is my knowledge of, and experience with, how the structure of ALSC and ALA functions. I know what it’s like to serve on and chair ALSC committees and task forces, I’ve represented ALSC not only on Council (where I co-convene the Youth Council Caucus) but also other ALA bodies such as the Planning & Budget Assembly, and I served as ALSC Budget Committee chair twice during the beginning of the Great Recession. My current position on the ALSC Board’s Executive Committee gives me insight and participation on current issues, and my day job as Assistant Commissioner at Chicago Public Library continually sharpens my skills in advocating and building consensus in order to improve library service. However above all, I believe that my greatest strength is passion for our work as an association and as individual members.

3.      What area of library service to children is your favorite?

It’s impossible for me to pick just one because they really are all so connected. Since a single shift in the children’s room can involve programming, reference, collection development, advocacy, and picking up and putting away all of the Duplos, we have to be sure to recognize and actively appreciate how all of the many different aspects of the work our members do comes together to create a better future for kids. And, actually, I think THAT is my favorite part of library service to children: the variety, because no day is ever dull!

4.      Why should someone choose to join ALSC? What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long-term members?

If someone should buy real estate because of location, location, location, someone should join ALSC because of people, people, people. It’s so valuable the way we as members collaborate on advocacy, education, and access, and these aren’t just words in our strategic plan. As specific ALSC goal areas these are commitments that our organization has made to ourselves and from which all of us benefit. ALSC’s Mentoring Program is a great example of how ALSC can serve both new and long-term members in different ways even at the same time, and in all of our efforts we recognize and share different perspectives and common challenges, which is advantageous for everyone.

5.      What are your ideas for reaching and involving members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?

At Midwinter in Philadelphia I met a local group of fabulous new and soon-to-be ALSC members who had come to observe the Youth Council Caucus meeting, and their energy, ideas, initiative, and questions were so exciting! And while that kind of personal connection is wonderful, to reach more folks who don’t have such convenient or economical access to a national library event in their backyard, the continuing development of the ALSC Roadshow is a fantastic way to find and encourage new members where they’re at.

And we also need to do more of that electronically, as I’m a firm believer in continuing to strengthen the virtual work we’ve already begun. During my service on several virtual task forces and in many online ALSC community forums I’ve experienced first-hand how well they can work, and am also very aware of the ways in which they need continual development. And moving forward, the need for ALSC to liaise with even more non-library associations and groups concerned with youth issues will continue to grow in importance in our inter-related world and will bring even more members, and often less traditional ones, into our community.

6.      How has ALSC membership impacted your life?  How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?

ALSC has given me education, fun, opportunity, and friends, which I consider a fantastic bargain! And I’m always conscious of the importance of sharing those benefits with my colleagues and kids. This can run the gamut from sharing the latest research on the role of play in learning from an ALSC white paper to sharing my real-life experience with others during a Mock Caldecott discussion to sharing a new fingerplay I read about on ALSC-L.

7.     Changes in the economy and advances in technology are dramatically impacting libraries. What are your thoughts on how ALSC can best continue to be a positive force for librarians, for libraries, and for children?

Looking for ways to be increasingly nimble is important for this premier membership organization in such a rapidly evolving profession as ours, and I believe that is doable, especially in the content of the work now going on ALA-wide to “re-imagine” ALA itself. Being able to respond to change (and to do it economically) is vital and the “Hot Topic” programs coming up at Annual in Las Vegas will go far in providing the very latest developments affecting our work. And ALSC’s impressive Everyday Advocacy efforts are a superb way for everyone providing and caring about library service to children to be a positive force as issues pop up and evolve. We can also do this by supporting, encouraging, and spreading the word about distinguished content for children, including for underrepresented communities, with our world famous and financially impactful media awards.

8.      What strengths would you bring to help ALSC attain the goals of the ALSC Strategic Plan?

Knowing how to work with both large and small groups and how to accomplish objectives within the context of ALA is a practical strength of mine, particularly as we strive to attain our strategic goals. I also bring a close familiarity with the Plan as I’ve been a member of the ALSC Board’s Executive Committee since the Plan’s first year and so have been involved in its implementation and ongoing evaluation. And I also look forward to sharing my belief in the importance of consensus building, knowledge-based decision making, and spirit of collaboration, not to mention the aforementioned passion for our work!

9.      What is your motivation in running for this position?

My motivation is all about moving forward, reaching out, and giving back. Keeping any organization relevant through changing times is a constant challenge and I’m determined (and convinced!) that ALSC will be around for a long, long time, so am very motivated to help move us all forward with such things as increased expertise and presence around apps and digital storytelling. I feel it’s important for us to reach out further, both inside and outside libraries, for greater inclusiveness with current and potential members and also for collaborations with a wider range of other youth-focused organizations to increase the recognition of, and access to, library services for all kids. And I continue to receive so much from my experiences here that I want to give back to ALSC, especially in this special role, to ensure that others get that same chance.

10.    What else would you like the voting ALSC membership to know about you before they vote?

I have literally been involved with library service to children since before I was born (as a librarian herself, my mom didn’t wait for her July due date to sign me up on the first day of that year’s summer reading program in June) and have done every job there is to do in a library, from shelving picture books to advocating with the First Lady, and as a true believer in ALSC’s work and our Desired Future, I ask for the honor of your vote to represent all of us as Vice President/President-Elect. And please follow me on Twitter @ammlib so we can continue the conversation! #AndrewIsForALSC

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2014-15 ALSC Vice President/President-Elect: Tim Wadham and Andrew Medlar. Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers.

This morning’s interview is with Tim Wadham:

1.      What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President?

Photo supplied by Tim Wadham

One of the most important aspects of the ALSC’s President’s role is to be the face of the organization to the general public.  Certainly, the ALSC President shapes the makeup of committees through their appointments, but more important than that is being able to be articulate as they act in the role of spokesperson.

2.      What skills & strengths would you bring to the office?

As a library director, one of my primary responsibilities is to be the face of the library in the community and to build community support in order to advocate for the library with elected officials.  This is a strength I would bring as I filled a similar role for ALSC.   The office also requires someone who is an advocate.  I would bring to the office the fact that, for me, children’s librarianship has not been just a profession but rather a life long passion.  I think I first knew I wanted to be a children’s librarian when I was still a kid participating in summer reading club in my local public library.  I would call the ALA press office at Midwinter to find out which books had won the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, then I would bike the dozen or so blocks to the library so I could be the first to tell my librarians of the winners (this was in the days before internet and the webcast).

Professionally, I started out as a children’s librarian and have always sought positions that would allow me to keep my hand and heart active in children’s services.  I would bring the political skills that I have developed as a library administrator, working with library boards and challenging city councils.  One of my strengths is leading effective meetings (know when to stop and make sure that meetings result in actionable assignments and that real decision-making occurs).  Through my experience as a deputy director and library director I have learned the skills necessary to get consensus within diverse, challenging groups.

Beyond these skills and strengths, I would bring to the office a passion and enthusiasm for the work of ALSC.  I was once asked if I could describe myself in two words, and I asked if one of the words could be hyphenated.  Receiving a positive response, I replied: “Enthusiastic book-missionary.”

3.      What area of library service to children is your favorite?

I suppose that my favorite area of library service to children has to be the programming aspect.  One of the appeals of being a children’s librarian is the opportunity it affords to indulge all your artistic impulses.  You can be an actor, a producer, a musician, a puppeteer, a storyteller and an artist.  I love doing storytimes.  Creating voices for the characters in picture books reminds me of the fun I had in high school doing humorous interpretations of selections from plays.  I enjoy producing and presenting puppet shows—including finding the right book, writing an adaptation, finding the background music, along with all of the other challenges such as building a puppet stage and finding the funding for custom puppets.  And I love doing author programs and introducing kids to their favorite authors.

4.      Why should someone choose to join ALSC? What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long-term members?

Membership in ALSC is incredibly rewarding.  ALSC provides the opportunity for like-minded children’s services librarians to share ideas, and most importantly become friends.  I was able to attend my first ALA annual conference due to ALSC and the Penguin Young Readers Group Award which helped cover my expenses to travel to New Orleans.  It didn’t hurt that Penguin was the winning publisher of the Caldecott winner that year (Owl Moon), and that my first conference was also my first opportunity to attend the Newbery/Caldecott banquet.  Over my 27 years as an ALSC member, I have made wonderful friends who I look forward to seeing twice a year at conference.  In that regard, ALSC is better than both Facebook and LinkedIn.  It provides a network of both colleagues and friends who you can know face to face and on whom you can call for assistance or advice.  It has also provided me, as a long-term member, an opportunity to give back by mentoring new librarians coming into the profession.

5.      What are your ideas for reaching and involving members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?

Long years of doing outreach have convinced me that the best way of reaching and involving anyone in an organization or institution is to go where the people are rather than waiting for them to come to you.  That may not be practical on a national scale, but I would certainly consider ways of reaching and involving members by finding them where they hang out virtually, rather than expecting them to come to the ALSC listserv or other official methods of communication.  Reaching out to them first may bring them to tools such as ALA Connect.  This outreach can also be a focus for recruitment efforts.  Perhaps there needs to be a way for ALSC to have ambassadors at state library conferences who can do recruiting—passionate members who know the value of being involved professionally.

The emergence of virtual committees has gone better than I ever anticipated when I was on the ALSC board working on the idea.  With the right chair, a virtual committee can be the perfect way to involve more members and to make them feel more a part of the association.  Recruitment of new members has to emphasize that there are more opportunities than ever to be a fully participating member of ALSC.  Our ALSC ambassadors can promote how important professional involvement is for career advancement.

6.      How has ALSC membership impacted your life?  How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?

ALSC membership allowed me to fulfill a dream I have had since I was a child, which was to be on the Newbery committee.  That alone was a huge accomplishment for a kid who was first challenged to read all the Newbery Medal winners by his middle-school librarian.  The level of discussion on the Newbery committee forever changed the way I think about and evaluate books and share books with kids.  ALSC membership gave me the motivation to apply for and host two May Hill Arbuthnot lectures: Lois Lowry at the St. Louis County Library, and Ursula K. LeGuin at the Maricopa County Library in partnership with the Arizona State Library.

My many committee assignments have impacted my library service to children in ways as simple as providing me with information on titles, such as my service on the Notable Videos and Carnegie Medal committees, which gave me invaluable help with video collection development and exposed me to wonderful films I might not have known about otherwise.  Many librarians value the “stamp of approval” that comes with the notable lists and other award lists and rely heavily on titles recommended by ALSC committees in their collection development.   Beyond that, my experiences as a participating member of ALSC have given me tools to be a better librarian.

7.     Changes in the economy and advances in technology are dramatically impacting libraries. What are your thoughts on how ALSC can best continue to be a positive force for librarians, for libraries, and for children?

My experience as an adjunct professor for the University of Arizona teaching children’s literature and youth services in public libraries taught me that what new professionals most want is practical education about what they can expect in the field.  They don’t want abstract theory.  ALSC can be most effective by providing practical information to children’s librarians on the front lines.  When I began my first job in the Dallas Public Library system, I was never given a mentor to demonstrate best practices for storytimes, and I had to learn what worked on my own.  The best way ALSC can continue to be a positive force is to find ways to disseminate practical information to practicing professionals.  We can be creative in the ways and locations we put out this information, and equally inventive in prioritizing the kinds of information that can come from ALSC.  As an example, the association can disseminate information on best practices for using technology in the day to day work of children’s librarians.  My staff are experimenting with creative new ways of using tablets for storytimes and finding that this technology allows us to think of storytimes in a way we never had previously.  We are able to project books that formerly we couldn’t share with a large group because of their size.  We can show films, or even use book apps in storytime.  These are the kinds of things that should be shared as widely as possible.  Focusing on this will result in librarians with more tools in their tool belt, able to advocate articulately for their libraries, and ultimately enriching the lives of children who come in to their libraries.

8.      What strengths would you bring to help ALSC attain the goals of the ALSC Strategic Plan?

I was part of the 2010 meeting that resulted in the strategic plan and I strongly support the three strategic goals that resulted from the process.  1) Advocacy.  Being an advocate is one of my strengths.  I love libraries and I believe in children’s books.  I am happy to tell anyone at any time why they should read out loud to their child and why libraries are important and not passé.  Advocacy begins with the education, training, and mentoring of new librarians coming into the profession.  2) Education.  ALSC plays an important role in the ongoing education of professionals who serve children in libraries.  ALSC can expand that role and find new ways to accomplish it.  As someone who has taught children’s services to prospective professionals, I have a clear vision of what effective teaching can accomplish.  3) Access to Library Services.  I have always believed that libraries are the great equalizer.  I can bring my experience expanding library and book access for children speaking languages other than English.  Parents from cultures where there is not a strong tradition of public library service need to feel that they’ve been given permission to come into the public library along with their children.

9.      What is your motivation in running for this position?

I have been inspired watching many past presidents serve with class and with grace and I’ve seen the impacts that they were able to make in their presidential years.  My three years of service on the ALSC board gave me insight into how the board works, and taught me how I can be an effective president.  Being asked to run for ALSC President has given me the opportunity for some introspection as to the issues that I truly and deeply care about.  I am motivated by the opportunity that being ALSC President would give to focus on these priorities: 1) Building a better relationship between ALSC and our sister youth divisions.  2) Advocating for the rich legacy of books that should be part of every child’s life, to keep them from being slowly weeded from our collective memory, and encouraging children to appreciate the value of fiction in their lives.  3) Library service to Spanish-speaking children has been a strong professional interest of mine, and I want to advocate for the provision of multi-cultural literature (and library service) to all children and families that equitably bridges the barriers of culture and language.  4) I am concerned that we may be neglecting our middle graders and I believe that we can build on the success of our early literacy efforts to provide literature-based programs for 8-11 year-olds.  Finally, I am motivated by the opportunity of a national platform to speak out about the power that books and stories have in the lives of young people to whoever will listen.

10.    What else would you like the voting ALSC membership to know about you before they vote?

My ultimate goal when providing any library service is always to make a difference and to change the lives of those served in some small way.  Following are two of the many experiences that I feel have achieved this goal:

In partnership with Childsplay Children’s Theater, I commissioned and participated in the writing and development of a play based on the children’s book Tomás and the Library Lady, which was performed for over 70,000 children within the Maricopa County Library District.  Since that time, the play has been performed before countless other children on national tour and in productions by children’s theater companies across the country—including a performance in Hampton, Iowa, where the original story actually took place.  To this day I feel that this has been one of the most important things I have done in my career in terms of the number of children impacted by it and the way it impacted them.  This was encapsulated by the simple response of one child after seeing the show: “I speak Spanish, just like Tomás!”

I commissioned Bill Harley, James Deem and Wendelin Van Draanen to write original novels for which I developed interactive websites, creating the concept of the “online novel.”  New chapters were put up on the web on a regular basis, and the websites included curriculum connections for teachers using the novel in their classrooms.  This project won the John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award, the NAACO (National Association of County Organizations) Best of Category Award, and Highsmith Award for Library Innovation.  Two of the novels were later published for the trade market, after appearing first exclusively on our library website.

Taken from the ALSC Community Forum – August 2012

It has been sixteen years since the last ALSC dues increase….

At the 2012 ALA Annual Conference, the ALSC Board of Directors discussed a proposal by the Budget Committee to implement a dues adjustment. There was a discussion on the proposed dues adjustment that took place during the ALSC Membership meeting in Anaheim.

To address the Budget Committee’s proposal, the Board held ALSC Community Forums on August 8th and 9th. During the second half of these open meetings, we opened the discussion to members to give us their input on a possible change in the ALSC dues structure.

In early August, the ALSC Budget Committee released the Dues Structure Change FAQ (log-in required) to introduce our members to the proposed dues increases and the new proposed member categories. To better understand the dues adjustment…please take time to read the thoughtfully prepared FAQ which includes considerations and cost thoughts provided by the Budget Committee.*

Some background information on the dues adjustment. One of the ALSC Budget Committee’s charges is “to review for the ALSC Board, on a regular basis, the dues structure.” The Budget Committee recently reviewed the structure and has recommended adjustments to the ALSC Board. If the Board agrees with the recommendation, they will vote to have the recommendation placed on the 2013 ALSC ballot for the entire ALSC membership to review and to vote on the recommended changes.

ALSC currently has only two personal membership categories:

• Regular $45
• Student $18

The proposal provides for four new personal member categories: Support Staff; Non-Salaried; Retired; Advocate. These new category areas carry the same definitions as ALA membership category areas.

The proposal would slightly increase the two current categories and expand the personal categories:

• Regular $50;
• Support Staff $35;
• Non-Salaried $35;
• Retired $35;
• Advocate $25 (authors, teachers, parents, etc.);
• Student $20

Even though the August Community Forum has concluded, the conversation can continue on ALA Connect. Whether or not you are able to join a live Forum, you can always add your thoughts by leaving a comment. The ALSC Budget Committee will post questions on ALA Connect regarding the ALSC dues adjustment proposal. For information about ALSC Community Forums or if you need help logging in please visit the ALSC Community Forum site. The August transcripts are posted.

We hope that you’ll come to the Community Forums to give us your thoughts. Through your participation, we can gather more input into how this proposed dues change will affect members and how it will shape the future of ALSC membership.

In closing, one of the questions asked of our members during the dues adjustment proposal discussion on the August Community Forums was “What aspects of your ALSC membership do you value most?” Some of the member replies are displayed in the word cloud at the top of this blog. Please feel free to add the aspects of membership that you value the most as a comment below.

Thank you for your dedicated service to ALSC and for creating a better future for children through libraries—every day!

*Please keep in mind this is a current proposal as of the annual conference, the ALSC Board has asked the Budget Committee to reexamine the student proposed rate and the existing organizations and corporate rates. A recommendation from the Budget Committee is due to the ALSC Board no later than ALA Midwinter 2013.

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Our post today is from ALSC President Carolyn Brodie. Carolyn is a regular blogger with ALSC.

ALSC is hosting two Community Forums this week and all members are invited to attend!

At the 2012 ALA Annual Conference, the ALSC Board of Directors discussed a proposal by the Budget Committee to implement a change in the ALSC dues structure. The Board of Directors and ALSC President Carolyn Brodie would like your input. Please join them at one of two Community Forums on ALSC’s ALA Connect site. Your two opportunities to join the conversation are:

• Wednesday, August 8 at 2 PM EST (1 PM CST, 12 PM MDT, 11 AM PST)

The first half of the discussion will be a Board update from the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. The second half will include a discussion of a possible change in ALSC dues structure.

Members are encouraged to attend at either of these times or both. Can’t make it to either time? Even after the Forum ends, the conversation continues on ALA Connect. ALSC will be posting other questions and a transcript from the live Forum. Whether or not you can join in the live Forum, please add your voice by leaving a comment. To read more information about the proposed changes, please check out the Budget Adjustment FAQ (log-in required).

Need help accessing the ALSC Community Forum? Visit the Community Forum section of the ALSC site for more information about getting logged on to ALA Connect. There are also links to previous ALSC Community Forums chats. Questions? Contact Dan Rude by email, [email protected] or by phone, 800-545-2433 ext 2164.

Log-in now to find the Community Forum chat room (log-in/password required).

Many thanks to all of the candidates who ran for division office this year. These folks put their time and talents up for the division and we thank them. Here are the results from the 2012 ALSC Elections:

Vice-President/President-Elect

Starr LaTronica, youth services/outreach manager, Four County Library System, Vestal, New York

Board of Directors

Rita Auerbach, New York
Michael Santangelo, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library
Jamie Campbell Naidoo, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Megan Schliesman, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison (one-year term, filling vacancy)

Division Councilor

Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library

Caldecott Committee, 2014

Judy Freeman, Highland Park, N.J.
Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public Library

Travis Jonker, Wayland Union Schools, Dorr, Mich.
Dennis Leloup, Avon (Ind.) Intermediate School East
Leslie Molnar, North Royalton, Ohio
Natasha Forrester, Multnomah County Library, Portland, Ore.
Deborah Burns, Chicago Public Library
Kathy Short, University of Arizona, Tucson

Newbery Committee, 2014

John Schumacher, Brook Forest Elementary School, Naperville, Ill.
Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library
Amy Sears, Teaneck (N.J.) Public Library
Debra McLeod, Lenexa, Kan.
Kathy Jarombek, Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, Conn.
Meg E. Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Hope Mills, N.C.
Laura Jenkins, Chicago Public Library
Andrea Erickson, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, Laurel, Md.

Sibert Committee, 2014

Barbara Genco, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Tish Wilson, Dayton (Ohio) Metro Library
Victor Schill, Fairbanks Branch Library, Houston
Sally Miculek, Austin (Texas) Public Library
Allison Kaplan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Wilder Committee, 2014

Kathleen T. Horning, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jane Marino, Great Neck (N.Y.) Library
Ellen Ruffin, McCain Library and Archives, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg