Association for Library Service to Children
Encyclopedia
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a division of the American Library Association
. Its members are concerned with the profession of children's Librarianship. The ALSC chooses the recipients of some of the world's most prestigious annual children's literature awards.
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In addition to the above listed awards, the ALSC produces four lists of notable media titles
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
. Its members are concerned with the profession of children's Librarianship. The ALSC chooses the recipients of some of the world's most prestigious annual children's literature awards.
Awards
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) (a division of the ALA) announces the awards listed below every January at a Monday morning press conference that takes place during the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting.- The Newbery MedalNewbery MedalThe John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John NewberyJohn NewberyJohn Newbery was an English publisher of books who first made children's literature a sustainable and profitable part of the literary market. He also supported and published the works of Christopher Smart, Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Johnson...
. It is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. In the past 88 years (1922–2009), 88 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 287 titles have received the Newbery Honor. - The Caldecott MedalCaldecott MedalThe Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph CaldecottRandolph CaldecottRandolph Caldecott was a British artist and illustrator, born in Chester. The Caldecott Medal was named in his honor. He exercised his art chiefly in book illustrations. His abilities as an artist were promptly and generously recognized by the Royal Academy. Caldecott greatly influenced...
. It is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. In the past 72 years (1938–2009), 72 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 228 titles have received the Caldecott Honor Honor. - The Arbuthnot AwardMay Hill Arbuthnot LectureThe May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture was established in 1969 to honor American educator May Hill Arbuthnot. The lecture is given each year by an author, artist, critic, librarian, historian or teacher who has made a significant contribution to the field of children's literature...
was named in honor of twentieth-century American educator May Hill ArbuthnotMay Hill ArbuthnotMay Hill Arbuthnot was an educator, editor, writer, and critic who was selected for American Libraries article “100 Most Important Leaders we had for the 20th Century”. Arbuthnot devoted her career to the awareness and importance of children's literature...
. It is awarded annually to honor an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children's literature, of any country, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site. In the past 40 years (1970–2009), 40 people have been honored with the award. - The Batchelder AwardMildred L. Batchelder AwardThe Mildred L. Batchelder Award, also known as the Batchelder Award, is an award granted annually by the Association for Library Service to Children a division of the American Library Association . The award is named in honor of Mildred L. Batchelder, former director of the ALSC...
was named in honor of twetieth-century American librarian Mildred L. Batchelder. It is given to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States. In the past 41 years (1968–2009), 41 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 22 titles have been cited with the Batchelder Honor. - The Belpré MedalBelpre MedalThe Pura Belpré Award is a recognition presented to a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays the Latino cultural experience in a work of literature for children or youth. It was established in 1996. It has been given every other year since 1996...
was named in honor of twentieth-century Puerto Rican librarian Pura BelpréPura BelpréPura Belpré was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. She was also a writer, collector of folktales, and puppeteer. There is some dispute as to the date of her birth which has been given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and February 2, 1903.- Education :She was born in Cidra,...
. It is given in honor to a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator whose works best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It has been given every other year since 1996. Beginning with the 2009 award, it will be given annually. In the past 14 years (1996–2009), 8 titles have been honored with the award for writing and 8 titles have been honored with the award for illustrations. In addition, as runners up, 19 titles have been cited with he Belpré Honor for writing and 21 titles have been cited with the Belpré Honor for illustrations. - The Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's VideoThe Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video was named in honor of nineteenth-century American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It honors the producer of the most outstanding video production for children...
was named in honor of nineteenth-century American philanthropist Andrew CarnegieAndrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. It honors the producer of the most outstanding video production for children. In the past 19 years (1991–2009), 19 titles have been honored with the award - The Geisel AwardGeisel AwardEstablished in 2004, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner receive a bronze medal at the ALA Annual Conference...
was named in honor of twentieth-century American author Theodor Seuss GeiselDr. SeussTheodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
. It is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. In the past 4 years (2006–2009), 4 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 14 titles have been cited as Geisel Honor boods. - The Odyssey AwardOdyssey AwardThe Odyssey Award is an annual award given to the producer of the best audiobook for children or young adults, available in English in the United States. It is jointly administered by two divisions of the American Library Association and is sponsored by Booklist magazine...
was named in honor of the HomerHomerIn the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's eighth century BC epic poemOdysseyThe Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
to remind us of the ancient roots of storytelling, while living in our modern world. The Odyssey Award is jointly given and administered by the ALSC and the Young Adult Library Services AssociationYoung Adult Library Services AssociationThe Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
(YALSA), another division of the ALA. It is sponsored by BooklistBooklistBooklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
magazine, a publication of the ALA. In the past 2 years (2008–2009), 2 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 10 titles have been cited as Odyssey Honor boods. - The Sibert MedalSibert MedalThe Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award established by the Association for Library Service to Children in 2001 with support from Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., is awarded annually to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the...
was named in honor of twentieth-century American publisher Robert F. Sibert. It honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book. In the past 9 years (2001–2009), 9 titles have been honored with the award. In addition, as runners-up, 23 titles have been cited as Silbert Honor boods. - The Wilder Medal
Laura Ingalls Wilder MedalThe Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal is a prize awarded by the American Library Association to writers or illustrators of children's books published in the United States who have over a period of years made substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature...
was named in honor of twentieth-century American author Laura Ingalls WilderLaura Ingalls WilderLaura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder was an American author who wrote the Little House series of books based on her childhood in a pioneer family...
. It 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. In the past 55 years (1954–2009), 17 authors have been honored with the award.
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- The Schneider Award was named in honor of twentieth century physician Dr. Katherine Schneider. It honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are given in each of the following categories: birth through grade school, middle school and teens. In the past 6 years (2004–2009), 18 titles have been honored with the award.
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In addition to the above listed awards, the ALSC produces four lists of notable media titles
- Notable Children's Books - nearly 100 titles divided for young readers, middle readers, older readers and all ages.
- Notable Children's Recordings - nearly 25 recording including many recording of former medal award winning books
- Notable Children's Videos - nearly 35 videos
- Great Interactive Software for Kids List (Formerly known as Notable Computer Software for Children) - nearly 10 titles including games