Are you a children’s librarian who has never experienced the glitz, the glamor, the authors, the books, the professional development and networking opportunities of the American Library Association Annual (ALA) conference? Would you like to explore the Library Marketplace in between making new friends and being inspired by amazing speakers and library colleagues? Could you use some help covering the cost of the conference which takes place June 25-29, 2026 in Chicago? Is this your dream? Now is your chance to make your dream come true! Apply for the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award! How to Apply Applications for the 2026 Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award are now open. This award, made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children’s Books, provides a $1200 stipend to up to two children’s librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference. Criteria Each…
Category: Blogger ALSC Professional Recognition and Scholarship Committee
Calling all Applicants for the Bechtel Fellowship!
As back-to-school dialog sneaks into all corners of life, do you find yourself reminiscing about the fun of it all? Fresh pens, pencils, folders, and backpack. New teachers and classmates. And, of course, library time. The Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship offers the opportunity to feel all that joy again with an added bonus – awardees study the topic of their choosing and their final work will not be graded. The Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship provides a grant up to $7,500 to a qualified children’s librarian to spend up to four weeks reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature of the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville. The Baldwin Library contains a special collection of 130,000 volumes of children’s literature published mostly before 1950. The fellowship is endowed in memory of Louise Seaman Bechtel and Ruth M. Baldwin. If you’re finding yourself curious to learn…
Judy Zuckerman is the 2025 ALSC DSA Recipient
Judy Zuckerman is the 2025 recipient of the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to library service to children and to ALSC.
Apply for the ALSC Distinguished Service Award!
The ALSC Professional Recognition and Scholarships Committee is currently accepting online nominations for the 2025 Distinguished Service Award! Nominations and supporting materials are due December 15, 2024. 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. Since 1991, the Distinguished Service Award has been a way for ALSC to honor our fellow colleagues who have gone above and beyond to improve the library experience for children. The most recent award recipient is Oralia Garza de Cortés. If you know someone whose involvement with ALSC has supported and inspired the work of our organization to champion quality library services to children, please nominate them! More information can be found here on the ALA website. Requirements Applications are also being accepted for the Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship,…
Apply for the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award!
Calling all children’s librarians who have never attended the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference held every June. This is your chance to get a stipend to help with your travel and fees. The Annual Conference draws thousands of librarians from all over the country to learn from colleagues, listen to amazing speakers, meet new friends, check out vendors’ wares (from bookmobiles to book vending machines to the hot fall titles), and get involved with library advocacy. The upcoming conference will be held June 26-30 in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Think this sounds great? Here are the details. 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 $1200 stipend for two children’s librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference. Criteria Requirements More information and the application form can be found here. Application…
Are You the Next Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellow?
Applications opened August 1, 2024 for the Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship and ALSC is inviting children’s librarians to to reflect on the research opportunities available via this chance to spend four-weeks reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature of the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida, Gainesville. The 2024 Fellow, Doris Gebel, a retired children’s librarian, and the former Head of Youth Services at the Northport-Eastport Public Library (NY), shares that “the Fellowship has led to some amazing opportunities.” Gebel is currently pursuing the topic of international literature to emphasize the global impact of the work of The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi and the influence of that work on subsequent youth literature. Based on her research, Gebel was invited to present a survey of the many editions of the Pinocchio story at the Baldwin Library at a symposium that was held in…
December Deadlines: 2024 ALSC Professional Awards
The Professional Recognition and Scholarships Committee is seeking nominations and applications from ALSC members for the Distinguished Service Award and Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award. ALSC Distinguished Service Award: The ALSC Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who have “made significant contributions to, and an impact on, library services to children and to the Association for Library Service to Children,” whether that be through an impactful special project or a career of demonstrated commitment to children and ALSC. To be considered nominees must be: Online nominations must be submitted by December 23, 2023 to be considered. Visit the ALSC Distinguished Service Award page to learn more. Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award The Penguin Random House Young Reader’s Group Award is made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children’s Books. It provides a $600 stipend for up to four children’s librarians…
Apply for a Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award!
The Professional Recognition and Scholarships Committee is seeking applications from ALSC members for the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award.