Video of Caroline Kennedy’s speech at 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting available online

 

Caroline Kennedy

As part of the Auditorium Speaker Series at the American Library Association’s 2013 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, Caroline Kennedy, Honorary Chair of 2013 National Library Week, spoke to an enthusiastic crowd about her passion for libraries and the role that reading and poetry  has played in her family’s lives.

Kennedy said that all types of  libraries are, “tabernacles of personal freedom: freedom of thought, freedom of expression,  freedom of opportunity and the  true test of liberty – freedom to dissent,” and noted that, “Libraries have a critical role in teaching the higher order thinking skills that students need under the Common Core curriculum, and the research techniques  and analytics that are so critical in the information age.”

Video of Caroline Kennedy’s speech is available online.

Celebrate National Library Week  2013 (April 14-20) with Honorary Chair Caroline Kennedy. View 2013 National Library Week Public Service Announcement featuring Caroline Kennedy.

American Library Association announces 2013 youth media award winners

SEATTLE — The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

A list of all the 2013 award winners follows:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:

“The One and Only Ivan,” written by Katherine Applegate, is the 2013 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.

Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Splendors and Glooms” by Laura Amy Schlitz and published by Candlewick Press; “Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin and published by Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press; and “Three Times Lucky” by Sheila Turnage and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

“This Is Not My Hat,” illustrated and written by Jon Klassen, is the 2013 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is published by Candlewick Press.

Five Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Creepy Carrots!” illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Extra Yarn,” illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of

HarperCollins Publishers; “Green,” illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press; “One Cool Friend,” illustrated by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; “Sleep Like a Tiger,” illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue and published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:

“Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America,” written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.

Two King Author Honor Books were selected: “Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; and “No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller” by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by Carolrhoda Lab, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

“I, Too, Am America,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Langston Hughes and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: “H. O. R. S. E.,” illustrated and written by Christopher Myers, and published by Egmont USA; “Ellen’s Broom,” illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; and “I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr.” illustrated by Kadir Nelson, writtenby Martin Luther King, Jr. and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

“In Darkness,” written by Nick Lake, is the 2013 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein, published by Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group; “Dodger” by Terry Pratchett, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “The White Bicycle” by Beverley Brenna, published by Red Deer Press.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:

“Back to Front and Upside Down!” written and illustrated by Claire Alexander and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., wins the award for children ages 0 to 10.

“A Dog Called Homeless” written by Sarah Lean and published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is the winner of the middle-school (ages 11-13) award.

The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am,” written by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:

“Caring is Creepy,” by David Zimmerman, published by Soho Press, Inc.

“Girlchild,” by Tupelo Hassman, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

“Juvenile in Justice,” by Richard Ross, published by Richard Ross

“Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore,” by Robin Sloan, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

“My Friend Dahmer,” by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams ComicArts, an imprint of Abrams

“One Shot at Forever,” by Chris Ballard, published by Hyperion

“Pure,” by Julianna Baggott, published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

“The Round House,” by Louise Erdrich, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

“Tell the Wolves I’m Home,” by Carol Rifka Brunt, published by Dial Press, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

“Where’d You Go, Bernadette?,” by Maria Semple, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children’s video:

Katja Torneman, producer of “Anna, Emma and the Condors,” is the Carnegie Medal winner.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Award honors 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. The 2013 winner is Katherine Paterson. Paterson was born in China in 1932 to missionary parents and grew up in the American South, moving eighteen times before she was 18. After graduating from King College in Bristol, Tennessee, she herself became a missionary in Japan. She returned to the U.S. to attend the Union Theological Seminary in New York, where she met and married John Paterson, a Presbyterian minister. Her first book, “The Sign of the Chrysanthemum,” was published in 1973. Katherine Paterson currently lives in Barre, Vermont.

Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement: Demetria Tucker is the 2013 recipient. Tucker has served as youth services coordinator within the Roanoke (Va.) Public Library System and library media specialist at the Forest Park Elementary School, where she was selected 2007 Teacher of the Year. As family and youth services librarian for the Pearl Bailey Library, a branch of the Newport News (Va.) Public Library System, Tucker now coordinates a youth leadership program, a teen urban literature club and many other programs that support the youth of her community.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:

Tamora Pierce is the 2013 Edwards Award winner. Pierce was born in rural Western Pennsylvania in 1954. She knew from a young age she liked stories and writing, and in 1983, she published her first book, Song of the Lioness. She continues to write and even record her own audiobooks. She currently lives with her husband (spouse-creature) and a myriad of animals in Syracuse, New York.

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site.

Andrea Davis Pinkney will deliver the 2014 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Andrea Davis Pinkney is a New York Times best-selling writer of more than 20 books for children and young adults including picture books, novels and nonfiction. During the course of her career, Pinkney has launched many high-profile publishing and entertainment entities, including Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Publishing’s Jump at the Sun imprint, the first African American children’s book imprint at a major publishing company.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States:

“My Family for the War” is the 2013 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Germany in 2007 as “Liverpool Street,” the book was written by Anne C. Voorhoeve, translated by Tammi Reichel and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected: “A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return,” written and illustrated by Zeina Abirached, translated by Edward Gauvin and published by Graphic Universe, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.; and “Son of a Gun,” written and translated by Anne de Graaf, and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States:

“The Fault in Our Stars,” produced by Brilliance Audio, is the 2013 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd.

Three Odyssey Honor Audiobooks also were selected: “Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian,” produced by Listening Library, written by Eoin Colfer and narrated by Nathaniel Parker; “Ghost Knight,” produced by Listening Library, written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill; and “Monstrous Beauty,” produced by Macmillian Audio, written by Elizabeth Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren.

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

“Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert,” illustrated by David Diaz, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Gary D. Schmidt and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

No BelpréIllustrator Honor Books were selected this year.

Pura Belpré (Author) Award:

“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is the Belpré Author Award winner. The book is published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

One BelpréAuthor Honor Book was named: “The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:

“Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press.

Three Sibert Honor Books were named: “Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin,” written and illustrated by Robert Byrd and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group; “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95,” written by Phillip M. Hoose and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers; and “Titanic: Voices from the Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience:

“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, is the Stonewall Award winner.

Four Stonewall Honor Books were selected: “Drama,” written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; “Gone, Gone, Gone,” written by Hannah Moskowitz and published by Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard,” written by Lesléa Newman and published by Candlewick Press; and “Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie,” written by S. J. Adams and published by Flux, an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book:

“Up, Tall and High!” written and illustrated by Ethan Long is the Seuss Award winner. The book is published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.

Three Geisel Honor Books were named: “Let’s Go for a Drive!” written and illustrated by Mo Willems, and published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin, created and illustrated by James Dean and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover,” written and illustrated by Cece Bell and published by Candlewick Press.

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:

“Seraphina,” written by Rachel Hartman, is the 2013 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Four other books were finalists for the award: “Wonder Show,” written by Hannah Barnaby, published by Houghton Mifflin, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers; “Love and Other Perishable Items,” written by Laura Buzo, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.; “After the Snow,” written by S. D. Crockett, published by Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” written by emily m. danforth, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults:

“Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin, is the 2013 Excellence winner. The book is published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Four other books were finalists for the award: “Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different,” written by Karen Blumenthal, published by Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95,” written by Phillip Hoose, published by Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Titanic: Voices from the Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; and “We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March,” written by Cynthia Levinson, published by Peachtree Publishers.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s literature experts, the awards encourage original and creative work.  For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma .

ALA President Maureen Sullivan and Rich Harwood, founder and president of The Harwood Institute, announce groundbreaking initiative

On Saturday, American Library Association President Maureen Sullivan and Rich Harwood, founder and president of the Harwood Institute, held a press conference at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle to announce the beginning of  the “Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities” Initiative, a new partnership between ALA and the Harwood Institute of Public Innovation.

Funded through a grant from IMLS, the multi-phase initiative’s goal is to provide librarians with the tools and training they need to lead their communities in finding innovative solutions by advancing library-led community engagement and innovation.

Following the announcement, Sullivan and Harwood answered questions from the press.

During the press conference, Sullivan and Harwood talked about how the impact of the initiative will be gauged.

Earlier that day, Sullivan led a panel that included Harwood, Tim Henkel, president and CEO of Spokane County United Way, and Carlton Sears, past director at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and now a certified coach with the Harwood Institute.

Political strategist Jennifer Duffy to address American Library Association at Seattle conference

Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of “The Cook Political Report,” will discuss recent changes in the political landscape at the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, on Saturday, Jan, 26, 2013. The political expert will detail the ways that the recent presidential and congressional elections will impact library policies and legislation during the Washington Office Update session from 8:30–10:00 a.m. PST.

Duffy, who has accumulated more than 25 years of political campaign experience and polled voters during the recent presidential election, will instruct political activists on how to communicate their issues in ways that resonate with legislators and other decision makers in a session titled, “Legislative Issues – What the Election Results Mean for Libraries: An Outlook for the New Congress.” Duffy will share strategies and tips, as well as characteristics about the new Congress and the current political landscape.

If you are a library supporter, you are encouraged to attend the event to ask questions and discuss features of the newly elected Congress. Additionally, ALA Washington Office staff will provide updates on what library advocates need to know to be effective in the future.

To find out more information, visit the conference website.

Peter Block discusses creating community at the library


According to author and consultant Peter Block, libraries play a central role in bringing people together and empowering their communities towards positive change. From 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., on Sunday, Jan. 27, Block will participate in an interactive discussion on the true value of America’s libraries during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

As an expert in community engagement and reconciliation, Block will discuss how libraries create communities that work. By bringing people together through book programs, story times, classes and more, libraries offer a unique opportunity for people of all ages and cultures to come together and shift the narrative from all that is wrong to all that is possible.

Block is the author of several best-selling books including “Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used,” “Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest” and “The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work.” His most recent title is “The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods,” co-authored by John McKnight.

Visit the conference website to find out more!

Carolyn Kennedy, Steven Johnson inspire change at ALA Midwinter Meeting


Authors have a unique ability to inspire change in the world and the ways in which we view it – whether it be through a book of stories, a biography, poetry or accounts of true life. This January, inspirational authors Carolyn Kennedy and Steven Johnson will address thousands with their stories of inspiration during the ALA’s Midwinter Meeting, held Jan. 25 – 29, in Seattle.

On Saturday, Jan. 26, Steven Johnson, the best-selling author of eight books will speak from 10 – 11 a.m. As an expert on contemporary culture, Johnson offers a unique and inspiring look into the future through intersecting science, technology and personal experience. Based on the ideas of his most recent release, “Future Perfect: The Case for Progress in a Networked Age,” Johnson will discuss political change its ability to transform our daily world.

On Sunday, Jan. 27, Carolyn Kennedy will speak from 10 – 11 a.m. Kennedy is the best-selling author/editor of 10 books including the forthcoming “Poems to Learn by Heart” (March 2013). Well known for continuing the strong Kennedy family tradition of public service and charitable work, Kennedy is also a strong advocate for reading, literacy and libraries.

To find out more information, visit the conference website.