ALA Cognotes Midwinter Highlights 2010 - (Page 8)

Page 8 • Cognotes help to have more books written and published in Ethiopia, the next stage » from page1 for Ethiopia Reads is an extension he revealed that he is proudest of his of the initiative to northern Tigray innovation of donkey book mobiles province. That province has provided because they are practical, inexpen- a building in the city of Mebelle and all sive, and appealing to children. Other that is needed are books and library achievements were helping to estab- workers. Gebregeorgis has rented a lish Ethiopian Children’s Book Week in place in this province for volunteers to April and a children’s book prize. There stay. He acknowledged that monetary are now 40 school libraries in his coun- donations are important, but the pastry, admittedly better than none at all, sion of volunteers collecting used books to send to Ethiopia but many more are or coming there to needed. help is essential. Observing that The passion of During the ques“literacy and literavolunteers collecting tion and answer peture make us huused books to send to riod, Gebregeorgis man,” Gebregeorgis Ethiopia or coming stated that: pen pal mused that perhaps there to help is programs exist beboth teachers and essential. tween Ethiopia and librarians should be the U.S.; most Ethipresidents of counopian parents entries. Or perhaps they comprise the same category be- courage their children to use libraries, cause “librarians are also teachers.” recognizing that they are safe places Unfortunately there are few trained and important adjuncts to education; librarians in Ethiopia, the result of and his program firmly believes in the discontinuation of the only library open shelves to allow children to make educational program. Ethiopia needs their own selections. “A few books can both library training and volunteers. be lost. But more can be gained by free Gebregeorgis repeated the axiom access to books.” The greatest chalthat “Ethiopia is a museum of peo- lenge has probably been dealing with ples…a multiethnic society.” Although the government bureaucracy, although there are 58 languages, with three now Ethiopia appears to be committed major ones, more than 99.5 percent of to improving the educational levels the books in these children’s libraries of its people. For more information, are in English due to their being dona- readers are advised to access www. tions from the U.S. Although it would ethiopiareads.org. BOSTON • 2010 Midwinter Meeting Highlights Gebregeorgis Chuck Hogan (second from left) makes a point during the ALA/ERT Author Forum, as Eric Van Lustbader, Brad Hooper, Tracy Chevalier, and Julie Powell listen. Authors » from page 2 a librarian.” Chevalier appreciated the movie version of her book. But she had decided not to be involved in its screenplay. She likened the filmed version of her book to “a liquid Vermeer painting …a Vermeer that moves.” She found it ironic that “it appears to consolidate a writer’s reputation when a film is made from a book.” Julie Powell is the author of two memoirs—Julie & Julia, recently transformed into a movie by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams and Cleaving. She liked the film although she disclosed that she had little to do with it. Powell asserted that Amy Adams who played her character did not resemble her but stated that “I feel honored that people can identify with any version of me.” The film obsessed her, admitting that “I couldn’t get away from the movie—it was stalking me.” She often wrote in the New York Public Library’s 42nd Street building in Manhattan, because of its cathedral-like setting but also the diverse people whom it attracts. She utilized the resources of the Schlesinger Library at Harvard where she was able to gain inspiration by actually holding in her hands the correspondence between Julia and Paul Child. American Indian Library Association Announces Winners of Youth Literature Awards YALSA Changes Alex Awards, Best Books t the 2010 Midwinter Meeting, the YALSA Board of Directors unanimously voted to re-envision YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults list as the Best Fiction for Young Adults list. The board also voted to expand the work of the Alex Award committee, which honors adult books with special appeal to teens, so that along with the ten winners announced at each Midwinter Meeting, a vetted list of official nominations will be announced. These changes go into effect for the 2011 lists, whose committees begin work on February 1, 2010. Other than the change to expand the work of the Alex Award committee, no changes to any of YALSA’s literary awards were made. The changes enable YALSA to better support the needs of its members and the library community by providing both constituencies with lists geared to the specific needs of their teen users. The re-envisioning of these YALSA T he American Indian Library Association (AILA) is pleased to announce the winners of the third American Indian Youth Literature Awards (AIYLA). The AILA awards recognize excellence in books by and about American Indians. By identifying and honoring outstanding writing and illustrations in the field of children’s literature, AILA encourages authors, illustrators, editors, publishers, and tribal entities to create materials that present Native Americans in the fullness of their humanity in present and past contexts. Awards are given for three categories: Best Picture Book, Best Middle School Book, and Best Young Adult Book. The winners of the 2010 awards are: • A Coyote Solstice Tale by Thomas King. Pictures by Gary Clement. Groundwood Books, 2009, for Best Picture Book • Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma by Genevieve Simermeyer. With photographs by Katherine Fogden. National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution in association with Council Oak Books, 2008, for Best Middle School Book The AILA awards recognize excellence in books by and about American Indians. • Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me: A Novel by Lurline Wailana McGregor. Kamehameha Publishing, 2008, for Best Young Adult Book The winners will each receive a cash award and a beaded medallion featuring the AILA awards logo. The awards presentation will take place during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 28, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The first AILA American Indian Youth Literature Awards were presented during the first Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC), in October, 2006. Publishers interested in submitting books for the 2012 awards should contact Lisa Mitten, Jury Chair, at ailabookawards@yahoo. com or visit the AILA Web site at www.ailanet.org for information on the awards. lists and awards aids the association in creating superior content for members and helps guarantee that titles on each and every one of YALSA’s lists is fully recognized. Librarians, teachers, parents, and teens will be able to more easily locate the materials that are of most interest whether it be fiction, nonfiction, in graphic or audio formats, or published originally for adults. These changes are the culmination of a three-year process that involved a member taskforce that evaluated YALSA’s portfolio of selected lists as well as an ad-hoc committee of YALSA’s board, who gathered and evaluated feedback from current and past Best Books for Young Adults committee members. YALSA developed an FAQ about the recent changes to provide more information, which is accessible at www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/ booklistsawards/faq.cfm. Questions can be directed to YALSA at yalsa@ala.org. Emily Wichland looks over the new book Disaster Spiritual Care as she sets up a booth in the Exhibits for Skylight Paths Publishing, Jewish Lights, and Gemstone Press. http://www.ethiopiareads.org http://www.ethiopiareads.org http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/faq.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/faq.cfm http://www.ailanet.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ALA Cognotes Midwinter Highlights 2010

ALA Cognotes Highlights Issue 2010

ALA Cognotes Midwinter Highlights 2010