Awards, Grants and Scholarships

Every year, the American Library Association and its member units honor people and institutions through an awards program that recognizes distinguished service to librarians and librarianship. Award seals are available for some winners.

 

image of books Book, Print & Media Awards

ALA and its member units honor books, print and other forms of media through a variety of awards. These awards are given to publications, and the authors, illustrators, and publishers who create them.

 

image of award governance General Award Information

Includes the ALA Awards Manual and instructions about how to establish a new award.

 

 

image of wallet Grants & Fellowships

A variety of grants and fellowships that provide funding or material support for present or future activities. Grants may be offered to support the planning and implementation of programs, aid in the preparation of a dissertation or other publications, and to promote research in library and information sciences. Grants are also given to support travel to conferences, such as the ALA Annual Conference, or other events that can broaden an individual's experience or education in librarianship.

image of giving an award Professional Recognition Awards

Given to individuals, groups or organizations that have shown outstanding leadership in one of the many areas of great importance to the mission and goals of the ALA.

 

 

image of booklist cover Recommended Lists ("Best of")

Lists developed by the units of ALA to highlight publications that emulate the "best of" a particular genre, targeted population group, or type of media.

 

 

 

 

ala scholarship image Scholarships

The American Library Association (ALA) is committed to promoting and advancing the librarian profession. To demonstrate this commitment, the ALA and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for study in a master's degree in library and information studies from an ALA accredited program, or for a master's degree in school library media program that meets the ALA curriculum guidelines for a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accredited unit.

 

yma recipients image Youth Media Awards

The ALA Youth Media Awards honor children’s and young adult authors and illustrators, as well as producers of children’s audio and video materials. Known worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards are selected under a cloak of secrecy by national judging committees composed of librarians and other children’s literature experts.