For immediate release | October 29, 2020

YALSA releases Outstanding Books for the College Bound recommended reading list

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has released its long-awaited Outstanding Books for the College Bound (OBCB) recommended reading list. The list was curated by YALSA’s 2019 OBCB Committee.

The list is organized into the following categories:

The OBCB list is developed every five years as a tool for various audiences (students preparing for college, educators, librarians, and parents). It offers opportunities for independent reading and lifelong learning. From the list, readers are bound to find something that will expand their worldview and help them gain an understanding of the ever-changing world. Learn more.

YALSA’s portfolio of book and media awards helps strengthen library services for and with teens by identifying quality, age appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in their communities. Learn more about YALSA’s other book and media lists.

YALSA would like to give a special thanks to the 2019 Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners Committee. In the midst of the pandemic, they very generously and diligently stepped up to curate a new OBCB list after the 2018 committee’s work on the previous list.

The 2019 Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners Committee members are: Yolanda Hood, chair, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada; Donna Steel Cook, Central ISD, Pollok, Texas; Kelsey Hughes, South Bowie Branch, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, Bowie, MD; Jane Nichols, Oregon State University Libraries and Press, Corvallis, OR; Jennifer Powell, Tarrant High School, Tarrant, AL. Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD.

The 2018 Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners Committee members are: Joy Millam, chair, Valencia High School, Placentia, CA; Ava Brillat, Otto G. Richter Library, Coral Gables, FL; Donna Cook, Central High School/Independent School District, Pollok, TX; Vilia Garcia, Harlingen High School South, Harlingen, TX; Yolanda Hood, University Of Wyoming Libraries, Laramie, WY; Kelsey Hughes, Crownsville, MD; Carrie Jacquin, St.Teresa's Academy, Kansas City, MO; Stacey McKenna, The Ohio State University/Central Ohio Technical, Pataskala, OH; Cate Merlin, Peabody Institute Library, Peabody, MA; Jane Nichols, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; Jeremiah Paschke-Wood, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ; Beth Pelayo, St. Charles East High School, St. Charles, IL; Jennifer Powell, Tarrant High School, Birmingham, AL; Sarah E. Sheehan, Mary Alice & Tom O'Malley Library, Riverdale, NY; Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD; and Lizz Zitron, Pierce College, Puyallup, WA.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. 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.

Contact:

Anna Lam

Communications Specialist

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

alam@ala.org