Sibert 25th Anniversary - Special Events
ALA Annual Conference
The following events will be held at the ALA 2026 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago, June 25 – 29, 2026.
Dive Deep into Discovery: Celebrating 25 Years of the Sibert Medal (Ticketed Event)
Friday, June 26, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (CT)
This preconference, held in conjunction with the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, will offer a series of sessions exploring and celebrating the literature of fact. Attendees will learn more about the history of the Sibert Award and how previous awardees have shaped the field's understanding of excellence in children's nonfiction. Presenters will be joined by Sibert medalists, honorees, and book editors to discuss the state of excellence in children's nonfiction.
Attendees also will gain familiarity with the Sibert, deepen their understanding and appreciation for evaluating nonfiction for youth, and learn more about incorporating nonfiction into their library collections and programming.
Inquiry & Informational Books: 25 Years of the Sibert Medal (Conference Program)
Saturday, June 27, 2026, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Robert F. Sibert Medal, this session brings together book creators with librarian practitioners for a conversation about how they each approach informational books and research concepts with young people. Panelists will share insights from their unique professional perspectives, reflect on the impact and legacy of the Sibert Medal over the past 25 years, and explore future possibilities for supporting reading, research, and inquiry alongside all of the children for whom informational books are created, purchased, and celebrated.
ALSC National Institute
The following programs will be held during the ALSC National Institute in Buffalo, New York, October 1 – 3, 2026
Making the Case for Nonfiction: Inspiring Readers and Celebrating Informational Books
In coordination with the celebration of the Sibert Award’s 25th anniversary, this session will focus on how nonfiction books invite curiosity, inspire inquiry, and support literacy and pleasure reading. Attendees will learn how to evaluate nonfiction, develop strong collections, promote nonfiction in their libraries, and connect readers with quality nonfiction texts. The program will also highlight how to organize and facilitate a Sibert Smackdown or Mock Sibert program. Participants will leave with ideas and tools to elevate nonfiction in school and public libraries.
Nonfiction Matters: How to Find Excellence, Engagement, and Depth in Pathbreaking Nonfiction
Young people live in the age of the digital flood, a tsunami of mis/dis/partial/compelling information. What can nonfiction books offer as guideposts, life rafts, islands of safety in the storm? Our panel of award-winning creators and a Sibert chair offer librarians some answers.
