Blogger Elizabeth Serrano

ALSC Professional Awards season is here!

Professional Awards

We recently completed a 2019 Membership Needs Assessment survey and it was surprising to learn over 95% of ALSC members have not applied for any of the available Professional Awards, Grants or Scholarships *insert my sad face*. Here are some reasons why I thought ALSC members might be hesitant in applying: There is an application process along with requirements and criteria that should be met for each of these opportunities. This could be intimidating or time consuming, but I promise our amazing ALSC staff and selection committee members are here to help answer all of your questions! It could also be possible that ALSC members just do not know these opportunities exist! If you did not know they existed, I’m here to tell you that they do! *insert my happy face* ALSC awards over $100,000 in the form of awards, grants and scholarships every year and I have listed them…

ALA Annual 2017

2017 Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award

Recognize Yourself or a Colleague with ALSC Professional Awards

Yes, it may feel as though Annual Conference just ended, but applications for the 2017 Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award are already open! What is the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award, you might ask? The Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award provides for up to four children’s librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference and the Caldecott-Newbery-Wilder banquet.

Audio books

Expand Your Collection with Bookapalooza!

Dream of expanding your collection with a huge shipment of books, videos, and audio books and recordings? Boy, have we got an offer for you! ALSC and the Grants Administration Committee are now accepting online applications for the 2015 Bookapalooza Program. This program offers select libraries a collection of materials to be used in a way that creatively enhances their library service to children and families. The materials are primarily for children age birth through 14 and include newly published books, videos, audio books and recordings from children’s trade publishers. Applicants must be personal members of ALSC, as well as ALA members to apply. Deadline for submissions is Sunday, February 1, 2015. For more information about the award requirements and submitting the online application please visit the Bookapalooza Web page.

Awards & Scholarships

Bechtel Fellowship: Professional Experience of a Lifetime

Little did I realize when arriving at the Gainesville Airport the evening of January 31, 2007, that the next month would be the highlight of my professional career. In 2005, as I was glancing through my most recent issue of Children and Libraries, I noticed Leslie Barban’s article, “Evolution of Children’s Literature Getting Sidetracked–Delightfully–at the Baldwin Library.” As I read the article, I thought, if only I could have that same experience. Before becoming a children’s librarian, I had worked for six years in rare book shops, so having the opportunity to research and read about children’s books would be a dream experience for me. In 2005, when both of my children were in college, I decided to apply for the 2006 Bechtel Fellowship. As part of the application, I needed to decide on a topic. The most difficult part of the process was determining which area of the collection…

Awards & Scholarships

Reminder! Nov. 1 ALSC Professional Awards Due Dates

This your two-week reminder! Next Friday, November 1 is the due date for three very exciting professional awards. Below is list of ALSC professional awards which are available for submission or nomination. Please consider applying or nominating a colleague: Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship Deadline: Extended to Saturday, November 1, 2014 This fellowship provides a $4,000 stipend to allow a qualified children’s librarian to spend a month or more reading at the University of Florida’s Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature. Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award Deadline: Saturday, November 1, 2014 This $4,000 award was established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, to bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators. ALSC/Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant Deadline: Saturday, November 1, 2014 This $3,000 grant provides financial assistance to a public library for developing an outstanding summer reading program for children.

Awards & Scholarships

Deadline for Bechtel, Hayes, & Baker & Taylor is Nov. 1

ALSC is reminding members to apply for professional awards this fall. Applications are open and several deadlines are approaching. Below is list of ALSC professional awards which are available for submission or nomination.  Please consider applying or nominating a colleague: Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship Deadline: Extended to Saturday, November 1, 2014 This fellowship provides a $4,000 stipend to allow a qualified children’s librarian to spend a month or more reading at the University of Florida’s Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature. Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award Deadline: Saturday, November 1, 2014 This $4,000 award was established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, to bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators. ALSC/Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant Deadline: Saturday, November 1, 2014 This $3,000 grant provides financial assistance to a public library for developing an outstanding summer reading program for children.

ALA Annual 2015

Applications Open for Penguin Young Readers Group Award

Want to attend the 2015 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco? ALSC and the Grants Administration Committee are now accepting online applications for the 2015 Penguin Young Readers Group Awards. This award, made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group, provides a $600 stipend for up to four children’s librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. Applicants must be personal members of ALSC, as well as ALA members to apply. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, October 1, 2014. For more information about the award requirements and submitting the online application please visit the Penguin Young Readers Group Award Web page.