Andrea Davis Pinkney to deliver Closing General Session at 2014 ALSC Institute

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) announced that award-winning author and editor Andrea Davis Pinkney will present the Closing General Session at the ALSC National Institute in Oakland, Calif. This event will take place at the Oakland Marriott City Center on Saturday, September 20, 2014 and is sponsored by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Andrea Davis Pinkney is a New York Times best-selling writer of more than 20 books for children and young adults including picture books, novels and nonfiction. During the course of her career, Pinkney has launched many high-profile publishing and entertainment entities, including Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Publishing’s Jump at the Sun imprint, the first African American children’s book imprint at a major publishing company.

On Saturday, Sept. 18, Steve Sheinkin will open the 2014 ALSC National Institute. Other confirmed special events include a Breakfast for Bill program with Tim Federle, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Rita Williams-Garcia and Gene Luen Yang, facilitated by Jamie Campbell Naidoo, and an afternoon at Children’s Fairyland, including Mac Barnett, Daniel Handler and Jennifer Holm.

The Closing General Session is free for all individuals registered for the 2014 ALSC National Institute. All special events are included in the cost of registration. Also included are three meals: Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast, and Saturday breakfast.

“Andrea is incredibly accomplished author, editor, and speaker, and we’re pleased to have her,” said 2014 ALSC National Institute Planning Task Force Chair Nina Lindsay. "Her works have inspired a generation of children. We look forward to a presentation full of depth and meaning for readers."

For more information and registration details for the 2014 ALSC National Institute please visit http://www.ala.org/alsc/institute.

ALSC, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit ALSC’s website: www.ala.org/alsc.