American Library Association to announce Stonewall Award winners at San Diego conference, January 9-14
Contact: Larra Clark or Macey Morales
312-280-5043/4393
For Immediate Release
December 18, 2003
American Library Association to announce Stonewall Award winners at San Diego conference
WHO: American Library Association (ALA) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT)
WHAT: Stonewall Awards for literature
WHEN: ALA Midwinter Meeting January 9-14, 2004
WHERE: San Diego Convention Center
WHY: The first and most enduring award for lesbigay books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. Since Isabel Miller's "Patience and Sarah" received the first award in 1971, a total of 48 books have been honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered experience.
Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Stonewall Book Award-Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award are presented to English language works published the year prior to the announcement date. The awards consist of a commemorative plaque and a cash stipend. The GLBTRT was founded in 1970 as the Task Force on Gay Liberation and is considered to be the nation's first gay, lesbian & bisexual professional organization.
The ALA also will host gay Hispanic author and essayist Richard Rodriguez at its Midwinter Meeting. Rodriguez will discuss the mixing of races and cultures taking place throughout the world, but particularly in America. Rodriguez refers to this mixing of cultures and races as "browning" of America, and will discuss how "browning" impacts the way we think about libraries. He will deliver the fifth annual Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture, at 3 p.m., Saturday, January 10, 2004.
The ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world, and the Midwinter Meeting is one of its two national conferences. More than 15,000 librarians are expected to attend the conference to be held this year in San Diego.
To schedule interviews or learn more, please call Larra Clark at 312-280-5043 in Chicago or 619-525-6228 in the San Diego press room.