Recipients of 2014 Margaret A. Edwards Collection Development Grant announced

CHICAGO – Recipients of the Young Adult Library Services Association’s (YALSA) Margaret A. Edwards Collection Development Grant have been announced. Seven winners and one runner-up were chosen.

The recipients are as follows with the runner-up denoted with an asterisk:

• Brandt Ensor; East Berlin Community Library (Pennsylvania)
• Jean Forness; Williamsville Public Library & Museum (Illinois)
• Graig Henshaw; Littlestown Area School District (Pennsylvania)
• Carolann MacMaster; Auburn Public Library (Massachusetts)
• Emma McCandless; Griswold Public School (Connecticut)*
• Brooke Nelson; East Peoria High School (Illinois)
• Emily Otis; Anaheim Public Library (California)
• LaRaie Zimm; Stickney-Forest View Public Library (Illinois)

The Margaret A. Edwards Collection Development Grant awards $5,000 to a school or public library to use towards improving or expanding its teen collection, to bring it more in line with the principles set forth in YALSA’s report, “The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: a Call to Action. “ The runner-up will receive $3000 to use towards improving or expanding its teen collection.

The grant is funded by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust. Edwards was a well-known and innovative young adult services librarian at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Md., for more than 30 years. Her trust has supported many initiatives from YALSA, including the Alex Awards for adult books with teen appeal and all five rounds of the Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults project.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and library staff to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail, yalsa@ala.org.