Conferences tend to be a mixture of busy and fun, and this year I was anxious to get to Mid-Winter in Denver to take up my post as a member of the Maureen Hayes Award Committee. The purpose of the Maureen Hayes Award is to “bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators by funding an author/illustrator visit to a library.” Working in a school as I do, I am well aware of the difference that meeting an author can make in the lives of children. The MHA exists to bring authors into libraries that would not otherwise have an opportunity to do so, and I hope that this post may encourage ALSC librarians to find school and public libraries that can utilize this award.
The committee met on a snowy Denver morning to discuss the applicants. Since there are very clear rules outlining who is eligible for the award, going through applications with a fine-tooth comb is quite necessary. Each application had its own personality that really did shine through in the submitted paperwork. It was gratifying to see applications from many different States, including California, Rhode Island, Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, Michigan, and Indiana. There were urban settings as well as rural settings represented.
Then came the discussion. Everybody on the committee was obviously passionate about bringing readers and authors together, and our points of view ranged from Independent School Librarians, to University Librarians, to Public Librarians. At the end of the meeting, we were unanimous about our choice, and quite proud of it as well.
The Maureen Hayes Award Committee was my first ALSC committee appointment, and if it’s any indication of what’s to come, I cannot wait for more!
Teresa Walls
I’m excited to hear the announcement! How wonderful when people and organizations work together to bring exciting learning opportunities to children. Thanks, Stacy, for writing about the Hayes award and your experience.