ALSC is proud to announce that the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture will take place at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The application was submitted by Lisa Von Drasek, librarian and curator at The Kerlan Collection of Children’s Literature, University of Minnesota Libraries. Award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation) will deliver the lecture in spring 2026. Per The Minneapolis American Indian Center: Minneapolis is a…”large and tribally diverse urban Native population, numbering well over 35,000 in the 11-county Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.” Additionally, there are numerous community partners, including 5 academic libraries, 3 public library systems; an independent book store specializing in native books and art; and a literary center. The Children’s Literature Lecture (formerly May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award) celebrates scholarship and critical thinking about literature for children. The Children’s Literature Lecture Award centers on the distinction of its winners, whose diverse…
Category: Guest Blogger
Self Care Summer
It’s Summer Reading season! Breathe in, breathe out … As we all know, summer in the Youth Services department is a busy and exciting season filled with joy, prizes, and the melody of children marching through the stacks. It can oftentimes be a rollercoaster of ups and downs with both rewarding and exhausting moments all happening at once! It’s important to take steps to support self care and manage your boundaries during this busy time.
2026 Notable Children’s Books: July 2025 Discussion
Each year the ALSC Notable Children’s Books Committee identifies the best of the best in children’s books. According to the Notables Criteria, “notable” is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children’s interests in exemplary ways.
Children’s Literature Lecture Award – A Call for Suggestions
Now is the time to nominate a candidate who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of children’s literature and would be an individual of distinction to prepare and present a paper which will make a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. The lecturer may be related to the field in any area: author; illustrator; editor; publisher; professor of children’s literature; reviewer; art director, etc. The criteria for this award includes: Begun in 1970, some previous winners of this esteemed award include: For a complete list of winners, click here. Here is a link to a form to nominate a candidate for the Children’s Literature Lecture Award. The deadline for nominations is AUGUST 1st. If you have any questions, please contact the ChiLL committee chair, Sue McCleaf Nespeca, at [email protected]
2026 Notable Children’s Recordings: Summer 2025 Discussion
The 2026 Notable Children’s Recordings committee is pleased to announce their summer set of public discussion meetings. The NCR committee’s charge is to develop a list of the most notable recordings of audiobooks and music of interest for children ages 0-14 produced in 2025.
An Artist Residency in the School Library with Juana Medina
One of the joys of being a school librarian is the unsupervised fun you can get up to when given the chance, the partnerships you can make, and the adventures you can bring into your school through books. I had the unique pleasure in May 2025 of bringing author and illustrator Juana Medina in for an artist’s residency in partnership with An Open Book Foundation and after twelve classes over four days, my second graders and myself feel filled with adventure and creativity. Four Days of Fun When I was approached by the foundation to bring Juana Medina to my school, I was immediately intrigued! I had done author visits before in a traditional sense—focused on one book, the writing experience, and geared towards one class. This was something else entirely—a four day artist residency where Juana would see each of the three second grade classes for nearly the entire…
Level Up with a Passive Program Scavenger Hunt!
At our library, we’re always looking for engaging ways to connect young readers with our collections—especially during the summer. This year, our Youth Services team brought a classic game to life with a scavenger hunt passive program. This Scavenger Hunt: Level Up Your Reading event connects directly to our Summer Reading Program’s theme: Level Up!
CSKBART Awards Breakfast & Lunch with Luminaries #alaac25
I have learned not to be late for things. It’s taken nearly all of my 46 years, still, I have learned. But on Sunday, I arrived at the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast after everyone had been seated (and breakfast was already being served). Oops. I recalled my father’s childhood confidence-building advice to “act like you own the place” and walked down the center aisle to the front of the room, looking for a seat. I spotted the beloved Mychal Threets sitting at a table with three empty seats, and asked the group if I could sit. Wouldn’t you know, I had also joined outgoing ALSC President Rob Bittner, newly elected Vice-President/President Elect Ariana Hussain, and ALSC Awards Coordinator Ana Cackley. I had been emailing both Rob and Ana–Rob about committee work and Ana about the Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award that I received to attend my…