2026 Scholastic Library Publishing Award Winner - Rachel G. Payne

CHICAGO — Rachel G. Payne has been named the 2026 winner of ALA’s Scholastic Library Publishing Award. This award, which includes a $1,000 cash prize and a certificate of achievement, recognizes a librarian whose unusual contributions to the stimulation and guidance of reading by children and young people exemplify outstanding achievement in the profession.

Payne has served as coordinator of early childhood services at Brooklyn Public Library for more than 20 years, where she has been a leading advocate for books and library services for the youngest readers. Under her leadership, Brooklyn Public Library has become a national model for early childhood programming, including initiatives such as The Big Playdate, Ready, Set, Kindergarten! and Freedom to Read Storytimes. She has written extensively about early childhood library services, including co‑authoring the “First Steps” column in School Library Journal (SLJ) and she has presented on early literacy at conferences nationwide. In 2025, she published her first picture book, Let’s Rumble!, with Rise x Penguin Workshop.

Payne, who received an MS in Education from Bank Street College of Education and an MLS from the Palmer School of Long Island University, is honored for her leadership in advancing early literacy, her influence on professional practice among librarians and educators nationwide, and her development of nationally recognized model library programs for young children.

Upon learning she was the recipient of the 2026 Scholastic Library Publishing Award, Payne said, “I am so grateful for this incredible honor! Children’s librarians have the best job in the world, and this award affirms the vital importance of this work. There is no greater joy than providing books and the environment for a child and their grown-up to cuddle up and read! I am so grateful to my friends, mentors, and colleagues from Brooklyn Public Library, ALA, ALSC, and beyond who have taught me so much and who could just as easily be recipients of this honor. Many thanks to the award jury and Scholastic for this wonderful recognition.”

The 2026 Scholastic Library Publishing Award will be presented at the ALA Awards Program at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Members of the 2026 Scholastic Library Publishing Award Jury are: Chair Susan Hess, retired New York City school librarian; Wendy Gassaway, Teacher Librarian, Alder Elementary School Portland, OR; Dr. Nancy Tolson, Director of Undergraduate Studies, African American Studies Department, Columbia, SC; Susan Wray, Deputy Director, Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO; and Uta Hussong-Christian, Health Science Librarian, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Applications for the 2027 Scholastic Library Publishing Award must be submitted by February 28, 2027. Guidelines and forms are available on the ALA website.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.