YALSA names 2018 Writing Award winners

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), named the winners of its 2018 YALSA Writing Award with members winning in four categories.

The winners are as follows:

• Beth Brendler, Lindsay Beckman, Denice Adkins, Heather Moulaison Sandy, Natalia Wiggins-Prelas, and Vanessa Adams for best article in The Journal of Research on Libraries & Young Adults: “Provide the Highest Level of Service: Public Library Collections of LGBTQ* Materials for Adolescents in the United States” Vol. 8 (1) July 2017.
• Ryan Moniz for best post on the YALSAblog: "More Than Accessible"
• Carli Spina for best post on The Hub: "Women in Comics – Refugee Experiences"
• Hannah E. Spratt and Denise E. Agosto for best article in Young Adult Library Services: “Fighting Fake News: Because We All Deserve the Truth.” Summer 2017, pp.17-21.

The winners of the journal articles will each receive a $500 monetary award due to the more extensive nature of their work while the winners of the blog posts will each receive a $200 monetary award. All winners will receive a plaque and be recognized at YALSA’s Membership Meeting at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans this summer. The award is supported through funds donated to Friends of YALSA. To learn more or to donate, visit www.ala.org/yalsa/givetoyalsa/give.

The YALSA Writing Award recognizes the contribution of YALSA members who have written an article or blog post for the association’s journals or blogs that is timely, original, relevant to YALSA members and well-written. Each year, YALSA’s blog managers and journal editors select a shortlist of up to five articles or posts that meet award criteria to submit to the YALSA Writing Award Jury.

The 2018 YALSA Writing Award Jury Members are: Sarah Carnahan, chair, Middle School and Upper School Librarian, Pulaski Academy, AR; Veronica Defazio, Head of Youth Services, Plainfield Public Library District, IL; Audrey Hopkins, Teen Services Librarian, Rita & Truett Smith Public Library, TX; Kristina Langlais, Teen Services Librarian, Free Library of Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library, PA; Lynda Poling, Lynda Salem Poling, Collection Services Senior Librarian, Long Beach Public Library, CA.

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.