Jonda C. McNair elected ALSC vice-president/president-elect

CHICAGO — Dr. Jonda C. McNair, Charlotte S. Huck Endowed Professor of Children's Literature, The Ohio State University, Columbus, has been elected vice president/president-elect of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). 

“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve in this leadership position,” McNair said. “ALSC has given so much to me over the years, and I consider it a privilege and an honor to give back.”

McNair earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1992 and 1994 in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. She later received a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture from The Ohio State University in 2003—with Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop serving as her advisor. She currently works in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Previously McNair was Professor of Literacy Education at Clemson University in South Carolina from 2003 to 2020. She was an elementary school teacher for Bibb County (Georgia) Public Schools from 1994 to 1999.

McNair has been a member of ALA, ALSC and the Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) for 17 years. She chaired the Newbery Award Selection Committee in 2021 and was a member of the 2019 Caldecott Award Selection Committee. McNair served as chair of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee from 2012 to 2015 and has been a member (2008-2010) and chair (2010-2012) of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury. 

In addition to her work within ALA, McNair has served in several editorial positions, including most recently as Editor, from 2016-2021, of “Language Arts,” a journal of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). In 2016-2017, she was department editor for the Integrating Children's Literature column in “The Reading Teacher,” an academic journal published on behalf of the International Literacy Association.

McNair received the 2021 NCTE Advancement of People of Color Leadership Award, which is given to an NCTE member of color who has made a significant contribution to NCTE and the development of its professional community.

Three members were elected to serve on the ALSC Board of Directors: Maria F. Estrella, Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library, director-at-large; Jaime Eastman, Plano (Texas) Public Library, New-to-ALSC board member; and Robbin Ellis Friedman, Chappaqua (NY) Library, fiscal officer. 

The newly elected vice president, fiscal officer and board members will be seated to the ALSC Board of Directors in June 2022, at the close of the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC. 

In addition, two proposed changes to Bylaw X, Nominations and Elections, Section 2 were adopted, resulting in the following language (new language is underscored; deleted language is in brackets):

• “The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate to consist of: at least one candidate [two (2) candidates] for every anticipated Board vacancy (The Board shall consist of thirteen members: president, vice-president (president-elect); immediate past-president, division councilor, fiscal officer, new to ALSC director and seven directors-at-large). In years when multiple director-at-large vacancies are anticipated the slate shall include at least [twice] as many candidates as there are slots.”
   
• “… [sixteen (16) candidates for eight (8) Newbery Award Committee members-at-large; sixteen (16) candidates for eight (8) Caldecott Award Committee members-at-large; ten (10) candidates for five (5) Sibert Award Committee members-at-large; six (6) candidates for three (3) Children's Literature Legacy Award Committee members-at-large;] and candidates to fill vacancies as approved in Article V, Sec. 3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will report the slate of candidates to the ALSC Executive Committee in writing by October 1, for the Fall Division Leadership Meeting in the year of the Nominating Committee’s appointment.”

Individuals elected to serve on the 2024 Caldecott, Children’s Literature Legacy, Newbery and Sibert committees are:

2024 Caldecott: Maria Paz Alegre, Allen-Stevenson School, New York, NY; Amanda Bressler, Albany Public Library, Corvallis, OR; Lisa Dennis, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (PA); Dr. Darryn Diuguid, McKendree University, Lebanon, IL; Andrea Erickson, Montgomery County Government, Columbia, MD; Abby Johnson, New Albany-Floyd County (IN) Public Library, New Albany; Tara Phethean, Todd Elementary, Briarcliff Manor UFSD, Briarcliff Manor, NY; and Jade Valenzuela, Albuquerque (NM) Academy.

2024 Children’s Literature Legacy: Joel Bangilan, Boniuk Library of the Holocaust Museum of Houston (TX); Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, New York Public Library; and Michelle H. Martin, University of Washington Information School, Seattle, WA.

2024 Newbery: Lucia Acosta, Princeton, NJ; Armin Arethna, Berkeley (CA) Public Library; Laura Gardner, Dartmouth (MA) Middle School; Katy Hepner, Norman Mayer Library, New Orleans (LA) Public Library; Linda Klein, Anchorage (AK) Public Library; Benjamin Martin, Tuscaloosa (AL) Academy; Elizabeth Rosania, Boise (ID) Public Library; and Gretchen Schulz, Aurora (IL) Public Library District.

2024 Sibert: Amanda Chuong, Princeton (NJ) Public Library; Melody Frese, Ladue (MO) School District; Ryan Grant, Medical Lake School District, Fairchild AFB, WA; Erika Miller, Timberland Regional Library, Port Orchard, WA; and Melissa Stovall, Austin (Texas) Independent School District.

Current president Lucia Gonzalez appointed the following 2024 award committee chairs: Kathie Meizner, Montgomery County (MD) Public Libraries, Caldecott Award Selection Committee; Caroline Ward, Cos Cob, CT, Children’s Literature Legacy Award Selection Committee; Amber Creger, Schaumburg Township District Library, Newbery Award Selection Committee; and Joyce Laiosa, Slingerlands, NY, Sibert Award Selection Committee. Amy Koester, current vice president/president-elect, will appoint the remaining members of these committees, as well as members of ALSC’s other prestigious award committees this fall.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, is driven by 4,000 members dedicated to the support and enrichment of library service to children. Our members include youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty. ALSC supports its members in engaging communities to build healthy, successful, futures for all children. To learn more about ALSC and how to join, please visit our website at www.ala.org/alsc.