Newsum and Mardis win Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA Research Grant
Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist
312-280-2128
NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 26, 2010
CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) awarded the 2010 Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA Research Grant to Janice Newsum and Dr. Marcia Mardis. This $1,000 grant will provide seed money for Mardis and Newsum’s research project, "Are Boys Radically Changing? A Fresh Exploration of Boys’ Internet Use in Public Libraries."
The project is designed to contextualize data about boys’ online behavior within the framework of the Radical Change theory. The research will replicate a 2002 study and will allow the researchers to examine why differences between past findings and the current study might exist. The researchers will also explore how the results can facilitate changes in research and practice.
“I am proud to receive my very first research grant from YALSA and excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the research in adolescent reading,” Newsum said.
Mardis agreed. “This grant allows us to build on the excellent work of our colleagues at Florida State. We're very excited to continue on their path to improve youth services.”“In this time of exponential change, particularly as regards technology, it is crucial that we reexamine assumptions and the data that inform those assumptions in order to move forward advocating for and serving teens,” said Karyn Silverman, committee chair.
Newsum is a doctoral student at Florida State University (FSU) in the School of Library and Information Studies. Mardis is an assistant professor at FSU’s School of Library and Information Studies and co-director of the PALM Center.
The YALSA Research Committee members are: Karyn N. Silverman, chair, LREI: Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School, New York; Deborah Carter Day, Ypsilanti (Mich.) District Library; Lisa Schensted, St. Paul; Lorraine Elizabeth Squires, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley (N.Y.) Community Library; and Melissa Blake Zuckerman, Weber County Library System, Roy, Utah.
Guidelines for applying for the YALSA/VOYA/Henne Research Grant are available at
www.ala.org/yalsa/awards&grants. Applications are due by Dec. 1, 2010.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to
www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail,
yalsa@ala.org.
