Association for Library Service to Children facts for kids
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a special group that is part of the American Library Association. It's like a big team dedicated to helping libraries serve kids.
ALSC has more than 4,000 members. These members include librarians, experts in children's books, publishers, and teachers. They all work together to make libraries great places for young people.
This group has almost 60 different committees. These committees work on many things. They create programs for kids and publish helpful resources. They also choose and give awards for the best books and media for children. ALSC also helps set rules for how libraries should serve children. They update their "Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries" regularly. The latest rules were set in 2015. They focus on seven main areas. These include services, programs, reaching out to communities, and choosing books.
Contents
How ALSC Helps Kids and Libraries
Understanding Digital Media
In 2015, ALSC created a special guide. It's called "Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth." This guide helps librarians understand how to use digital media. It shows them how to help kids and families with online materials. It also helps them with digital activities.
ALSC's Own Journal
ALSC publishes a magazine called Children and Libraries. It comes out three times a year. This magazine shares important information about library services for children. It started in 2003. Before that, it was part of another magazine. That magazine was called Journal of Youth Services.
Awards and Special Recognitions
ALSC gives out many important awards each January. They announce these awards at a special event. This event happens during the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting.
Top Book and Media Awards
- The Newbery Medal is a very famous award. It is named after John Newbery, a British bookseller from the 1700s. This medal is given every year. It honors the author of the best American book for children.
- The Caldecott Medal is named after Randolph Caldecott. He was an English artist from the 1800s. This medal is given each year. It honors the artist of the best American picture book for children.
- The Batchelder Award honors Mildred L. Batchelder. She was an American librarian in the 1900s. This award recognizes children's books that have been translated into English. It encourages publishers to bring great foreign language books to American kids. This helps people around the world understand each other better.
- The Belpré Medal is named after Pura Belpré. She was a Puerto Rican librarian in the 1900s. This medal celebrates Latino or Latina writers and artists. It honors works that show and celebrate the Latino culture. It was given every other year starting in 1996. Since 2009, it has been given every year.
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The Carnegie Medal is named after Andrew Carnegie. He was an American who gave a lot of money to good causes in the 1800s. This medal honors the person who makes the best video for children.
Andrew Carnegie, an American who helped many people - The Children's Literature Lecture Award was once called the "May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Award." It was named after May Hill Arbuthnot, an American teacher from the 1900s. This award is given every year. It honors someone who has made a big difference in children's literature. This person could be an author, critic, librarian, or teacher. They give a special lecture each year. This lecture is then published in the Children and Libraries journal.
- The Geisel Award is named after Theodor Seuss Geisel. He was a famous American author in the 1900s. This award is given every year. It honors the author and artist of the best American book for beginning readers.
- The Odyssey Award is named after the ancient Greek poem, the Odyssey. ALSC gives this award together with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). YALSA is another group within the ALA. This award is for the best audiobook for children and young adults.
- The Sibert Medal is named after Robert F. Sibert. He was an American publisher in the 1900s. This medal honors the author and artist of the most outstanding informational book for children.
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The Children's Literature Legacy Award was once called the Wilder Medal. It was named after Laura Ingalls Wilder, an American author from the 1900s. The name changed in 2018. This award honors an author or artist. It recognizes their books published in the United States. These books must have made a lasting and important contribution to children's literature over many years.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, an American author
Special Lists of Notable Media
Besides the awards, ALSC also creates three lists each year. These lists highlight notable media titles for children:
- Notable Children's Books
- Notable Children's Recordings (audiobooks and music)
- Notable Children's Digital Media (apps, websites, etc.)
ALSC used to make a list called Notable Children's Videos, but that list is no longer produced.
Grants and Partnerships
ALSC also works with other groups to offer grants. These grants help support library programs for children. Some partners include:
- Dollar General Literacy Foundation
- Disney
ALSC also used to run a program called Great Websites for Kids. This program listed excellent websites for children from birth to age 14. A special committee reviewed these sites. They used specific rules to choose the best ones. The Great Websites for Kids program ended in 2016.
See also
