Date of Establishment: 1988
Date of Completion: Continuing
Membership: Committee size: 5, 3 to be elected.
Qualifications: YALSA members who must be able to attend both the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference of ALA.
Term of Office: Two years
Function: To select a living author or co-author whose book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young people as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives. The book or books should enable them to understand themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationship with others and with society.
Procedures: See YALSA Handbook, Section VIII. - 5
History: The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author's lifetime achievement for writing books that have been popular with teenagers. The award is named in honor of the late Margaret A. Edwards, an administrator of young adult programs at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, MD for more than 30 years. She spent her professional life bringing books and young adults together, pioneering outreach services for teenagers and establishing a stringent training program designed especially for librarians beginning their work with adolescents. Edwards is the author of The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts: The Library and the Young Adult (Hawthorne, 1969; revised and expanded 1974, o.p.) which explains her philosophy for turning young adults into readers. The publication remains a source of inspiration and guidance for librarians who work with young adults in school and public libraries.