In the Margins Book Award lists released

For Immediate Release
Tue, 02/10/2015

Contact:

Marianne Braverman

Marketing and Programs Manager

Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies

mbraverman@ala.org

CHICAGO — The In the Margins Book Award and Selection Committee, (ITM) a committee under the umbrella of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, (ASCLA), Library Services for Youth in Custody (LYSC) selected its top non-fiction and fiction winning titles as well as a top 10 list and list of 34 titlesIn the Margins is committed to promoting and highlighting diverse books and voices that have been in the margins. ITM strives to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody - or a cycle of all three.   

In the Margins Top Fiction Award, 2015: "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon.

In the Margins Top Non-Fiction Award, 2015:  "Left for Dead" by Ebony Canion

In the Margins Official 2015 Top Ten List

Butler, Pacc. " From God’s Monster to the Devil’s Angel" CreateSpace. January 2014. 170p. PB $14.95. ISBN 9781494771669.

Canion, Ebony. "Left for DeadLife Changing Books. February 2014. 228p. PB $15.99. ISBN 9781934230596. 

Ewing, Lynne. "The Lure." Balzer + Bray. February 2014. 288p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9780062206886. 

Little, Ashley. "Anatomy of a Girl Gang." Arsenal Pulp. May 2014. 254p. PB $16.95. ISBN 9781551525297. 

Magoon, Kekla. "How It Went Down." Henry Holt. October 2014. 336 p. HC $17.99. ISBN  9780805098693. 

Miles, Michelle. "The High Price I Had to Pay 2: Sentenced to 30 Years as a Nonviolent, First Time Offender." Voices International. November 2013. 66p. PB $7.99.  ISBN9780991104109. 

Reynolds, Jason. "When I Was the Greatest." Atheneum. January 2014. 240p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9781442459472.

Wilson, Rayshawn. "Lionheart: Coming From Where I’m From." Legendary Publishing. August 2014. 196p. PB $15.00. ISBN 9780982786321.

Workman, P.D. "Ruby: Between the Cracks (Volume 1)."  PD Workman. February 2014. 486p. PB $16.90. ISBN 9780992153953. 

Zusman, Angela Beth. "The Griots of Oakland: Voices from the African American Oral History Project.  Story for All." October 2013. 206p. HC $59.99. ISBN 9780988763111. PB $14.99. ISBN  978-0988763104. 

"We are thrilled with the second year of this important work finding relevant books for our communities that validate, illuminate and humanize those living in the margins. The majority of our top ten and even our list may be unknown to you - providing you more relevant books for your collections.  This year we introduce our top fiction, top non-fiction, and advocacy award categories. We have a great list, bringing to national attention books that add to diversity in our collections and world,”  said Amy Cheney, chair of In the Margins Book Award and Selection committee. “We are proud to contribute to bringing these voices out of the underground and into your libraries ." 

Annotations, the full list and more information on the committee and selections can be found at http://www.youthlibraries.org/margins-committee

Please be on the lookout for YA Underground in School Library Journal  2/4/15 for more details and an inside view. In addition, this is the first year we will announce the Advocacy Award on 2/18/15 at the link above and in the School Library Journal column. 

ITM identifies quality, age appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in urban, lockdown, homeless shelters and other non-traditional venues for teens living in the margins.

2015 Committee: 

Chair: Amy Cheney, librarian, Juvenile Justice Center, Alameda County, California.

Administrative Assistant: Dr. Kerry Sutherland, youth services librarian, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Ohio.

Project Assistant: Mackenzie Magee, English teacher, Passages Academy, New York.

Sabrina Carnesi, librarian, Crittenden Middle School, Virginia.

Dale Clark, teacher-librarian, Fraser Park Secondary, Burnaby Youth Custody Services, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Joe Coyle, project coordinator, Mix IT Up!, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.

Marvin DeBose Sr., library supervisor, Free Library of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Maggie Novario, teen librarian, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, Washington.

Amy Wander, youth services manager, Lafayette Public Library, Louisiana.

You can follow Amy Cheney, chair of In the Margins, blog, which is dedicated to reaching and inspiring youth literacy. For up-to-date information: http://writetoreadbooks.wordpress.com

ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and multi-type cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.