The ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture is an annual event that started in 1970. Each year, a chosen lecturer prepares a paper and talk considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. Most recently, Bryan Collier presented the 2023 lecture, and Rita Williams Garcia is slated to present in 2024. The complete list of past lecturers is on the ALSC website.
Category: Awards & Scholarships
work of ALSC Priority Group III and other items dealing with awards and scholarships that might be of interest to ALSC members
2024 Legacy Award Committee Seeking Suggestions
Hello, this is Caroline Ward, chair of the 2024 Children’s Literature Legacy Award. Our committee is now accepting suggestions for the Legacy Award from ALSC members. The deadline for submitting suggestions is April 15, 2023.
Art as a Mirror: Maureen Hayes Award Broadens Children’s Horizons
Children from dominant social groups… have suffered from the lack of availability about others… They need books that will help them understand the multicultural nature of the world they live in, and their place as a member of just one group, as well as their connections to all other humans. . . If they see only reflections of themselves, they will grow up with an exaggerated sense of their own importance and value in the world—a dangerous ethnocentrism. Rudine Sims Bishop, “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.”
An ALSC Budget Story: Receiving the Bechtel Fellowship, as Told by ALSC Member Joe Prince
Happy winter, everyone! Children’s library workers kick off each winter season with the excitement of the YMA Press Conference at LibLearnX, the rush of getting the awards seals on the newly announced winning books, and the recently appointed book award committees starting a new cycle of work. Yet, whereas the YMA Press Conference and ALSC book awards activities tend to get so much of our attention, ALSC buzzes yearlong with its work in support of numerous funded programs and activities to further and strengthen the work of children’s librarians, children’s librarianship, and the practice of the profession. One such program is the Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship. This fellowship provides a grant of up to $7,500 for a qualified children’s librarian to spend up to 4 weeks reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, one of the Special and Area Studies Collections of the George A. Smathers…
Apply for the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award!
Are you a children’s librarian who has never been to the ALA Annual Conference? Edited to add: Good news! the Distinguished Service Award deadline has been extended to Friday, December 23! This Award honors an individual member of ALSC who has made significant contributions to, and an impact on, library service to children and/or ALSC. The recipient receives $2,000 and an engraved pin at the ALSC Membership Meeting during ALA Annual Conference. The nomination form can be found here. Nominations and supporting materials are due December 9, 2022. Please note that distinguished service is not necessarily for lifetime achievement. A single outstanding program, project or idea can also merit consideration! And now, back to the original post: Then the ALSC Professional Recognition and Scholarship Committee has an exciting grant opportunity for you! Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award This award, made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group…
Consider applying or nominating a colleague for these ALSC Awards!
Greetings colleagues: the ALSC Professional Recognition and Scholarship Committee would like to make you aware of two exciting upcoming grant opportunities. Please consider applying or nominating! Distinguished Service Award This award honors an individual member of ALSC who has made significant contributions to, and an impact on, library service to children and/or ALSC. The recipient receives $2,000 and an engraved pin at the ALSC Membership Meeting during ALA Annual Conference. The nomination form can be found here. Nominations and supporting materials are due December 9, 2022. *Please note that distinguished service is not necessarily for lifetime achievement. A single outstanding program, project or idea can also merit consideration! Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award This award, made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children’s Books, provides a $600 stipend to up to four children’s librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference….
Five Questions with Joe Prince, the 2022 Bechtel Fellow
The Bechtel Fellowship is designed to allow qualified children’s librarians to spend up to four weeksreading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, a part of the George A.Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida, Gainesville. The Baldwin Library contains a specialcollection of 120,000 volumes of children’s literature published mostly before 1950. The fellowship isendowed in memory of Louise Seaman Bechtel and Ruth M. Baldwin and provides a stipend of up to$7,500.
Pura Belpré – Call for Suggestions
The 2023 Pura Belpré Selection Committee invites all ALSC members to submit suggestions of titles to be considered for the 2023 Pura Belpré Award, presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.