ALSC announces Bound to Stay Bound Books and Melcher Scholarship winners
Contact: Linda Mays
312-280-1398
lmays@ala.org
For Immediate Release
September 2002
ALSC announces Bound to Stay Bound Books and Melcher Scholarship winners
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced the 2002 recipients of the Frederic G. Melcher and Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarships.
Leigh Barnes of Madison, Wis., and Stephanie Schott of Plainsboro, N.J., are the recipients of the Melcher Scholarship. Each winner receives $6,000 from ALSC, made possible by contributions received in memory of Frederic G. Melcher.
Sarah Dutelle of Hoffman Estates, Ill.; Jill Heritage of Boulder, Colo.; Melissa Kerrigan of Chicago; and Cami Kitzel of Naples, N.Y., are the Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship winners. Each winner receives $6,000, made possible through a generous contribution from Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., of Jacksonville, Ill.
Barnes is a preschool teacher who is committed to facilitating the overall development of children. Her goal is to establish a resource of free and interdisciplinary knowledge for children, as well as educators, administrators and parents. Barnes will attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Schott is a recent graduate in visual media communications who has been working in a library since she was 16. Her plan is to build on her undergraduate experience to become a youth services specialist. Schott will attend Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
Dutelle's undergraduate studies in Spanish literature afforded her the opportunity to work with bilingual children in an inner-city literacy program. Her goal is to champion the development and expansion of resources and materials available to Spanish-speaking and bilingual children in public libraries. Dutelle will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Heritage's professional life has been spent in children's book publishing. Volunteer time in the local library as a children's programming intern has led to her goal of facilitating an integral connection between books and children. Heritage will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kerrigan believes that children who use libraries learn better research skills, become more culturally aware and expand their imagination. Her goal is to play an active role in children's lives through the public library. Kerrigan will attend Dominican University, River Forest, Ill.
Kitzel currently works in her rural New York town branch library. As the youth programming coordinator, she has created programs that resulted in a substantial increase in the library's youth attendance. Her goal is to create an exciting library environment for children and young adults. Kitzel will attend Syracuse University, N.Y.
The scholarships are awarded annually to students who plan to enter ALA-accredited programs, obtain a master's degree in library science and specialize in library service to children. Applicants must be United States or Canadian citizens. Recipients are expected to become members of ALA and are required to accept a position in the field of library service to children for at least one year following graduation.
Members of the scholarship committee were very impressed with the caliber of applicants. "Each and every recipient is quite excited to receive the scholarship and to be embarking on a career in children's librarianship," Committee Chair Grace Shanahan said.
In addition to Shanahan,Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library, committee members are: Tina Hubert, Lewis and Clark Library System, Edwardsville, Ill.; Melissa Yurechko, Hartford (Conn.) Public Library; and Diane Janoff, Queensborough (N.Y.) Public Library.
Applications for the 2003 scholarships are available on the ALA Web site or send a postcard to ALSC, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611; or send e-mail to
lmays@ala.org.
