World Book – ALA Goal Grant recipient named
Contact:
Cheryl Malden
Program Officer
312-280-3247
cmalden@ala.org
For Immediate Release
May 15, 2007
World Book - ALA Goal Grant recipient named
CHICAGO
-
The American Library Association (ALA) is proud to announce that the
Young Adult Library Services Association
(YALSA) is the winner of the 2007 World Book – American Library Association (ALA) Goal Grant. YALSA is honored for itsproposal “
Improving Teen Services in Key States.”
The $10,000 World Book – ALA Goal Grant is donated by World Book, Inc., and is awarded to ALA units for the advancement of public, academic or school library service and librarianship through the support of programs that advance the mission, goals and priorities of the American Library Association.
“The jurors were enthusiastic about ‘
Improving Teen Services in Key States,’ describing the proposal as thoughtful, well – researched and professionally presented,” said World Book Jury chair Carol Lee Anderson, University at Albany, State University of New York.
“The project will advance several goals of the ALA strategic plan
ALAHEAD to 2010 especially, Advocacy/Value of the Profession, Education, and Membership. In addition, ‘Improving Teen Services in Key States’ helps YALSA meet its goals of continuous learning and advocacy.”
In her project proposal, YALSA President Judy Nelson identified three key problems facing the nation’s teens: poor literacy skills, inadequate service in the nation’s libraries and a low rate of participation in Teen Read Week in several states.
The project seeks to raise the level of library services to teens in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi by using Teen Read Week as a focal point.
Each of these states reported having fewer than 49 librarians in their states implementing Teen Read Week in 2005 and 2006 and all three states have standardized reading scores below the national average.
The World Book – ALA Goal Grant will be presented on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D. C.
Other members of the 2007 World – Book ALA Goal Grant jury are: Nancy L. Bujold, Capitol Area (Mich.) District Library; Leanne Hansen, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Theresa Jehlik Omaha Public Library, Omaha, Neb.; and Monecia Samuel, SUNY, College at Purchase, N.Y.
The deadline for submission of applications for the 2008 World Book – ALA Goal Grant is December 1, 2007. Guidelines and application forms are available at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/awardsbucket/worldbookaward/worldbookaward.htm.
