Joni Richards Bodart named Scholastic Library Publishing Award winner

Contact:
Cheryl Malden


Program Officer


312-280-3247

cmalden@ala.org

For Immediate Release


March 9, 2010

CHICAGO —The American Library Association (ALA) has named Dr. Joni Richards Bodart the recipient of the 2010 Scholastic Library Publishing Award. The honor, which will be presented during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington D.C., is bestowed on a librarian whose extraordinary contributions to promoting access to books and encouraging a love of reading for lifelong learning exemplifies outstanding achievement in the profession. Bodart will receive a citation and $1,000 prize, donated by Scholastic Library Publishing.

Bodart is an outstanding leader in the field of librarianship and children's and young adult literature. Her imaginative vision, acute intellect and stellar leadership benefit the students and librarians she teaches and works with and, through them, the children they serve. Bodart holds bachelor's degrees in library science and in English. She also holds masters degrees in library science and in psychology as well as a Ph.D in Library Science from Texas Woman’s University. She currently serves as Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University, San Jose, California. Her numerous accomplishments include:

• Authored 19 books, the most recent of which is “Radical Reads 2: Working with and Defending the Newest Edgy YA Fiction
  .”
• Promoted and advocated for controversial literature for young adults, demonstrating how to defend gritty, bleak and difficult titles in the two volumes of “Radical Reads,” and in courses on young adult literature and the value of controversial literature for teens.
• Taught young adult literature and related subjects at four major schools of information studies.
• Chaired six different committees in the Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library Association.
  
  
  Developed the modern booktalk into the complex and effective strategy that it is today. Conveyed that crucial skill to thousands of youth librarians.
• Worked directly with teens in public libraries in California, Colorado and New Mexico.

“Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books,” said Chair James Stewart, “and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic Library Publishing, a division of Scholastic, creates a multitude of products, both in print and online, for the school and public library market under the imprints of Grolier, Children's Press, Franklin Watts and Grolier Online.” The committee is very pleased to present this prestigious award to Joni Richards Bodart, whose contributions to young readers and to their librarians is so noteworthy.”




The deadline for submission of applications for the 2011 Scholastic Library Publishing Award is Dec. 1. Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA Web site:
http://www.ala.org, in the Professional Recognition section under Awards & Grants.




Members of the 2009 Scholastic Library Publishing Award Jury are: James B. Stewart (Chair), Stewart Brown Consulting; June L. DeWees, University of Missouri; Maria Nathalie Hristov, University of Tennessee; Denise Zielinski, Dupage Library System.