Reference and User Services Association

CHICAGO-- The Reference and User Services Association will host five award-winning authors — James Hannaham, Joy Harjo, Naomi Novik, Jim Shepard, Karin Slaughter-- at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference program “Literary Tastes: Celebrating the Best Reading of the Year,”  a conference tradition that features authors from RUSA’s book awards for adults.

The 2017 committee is starting work on selecting titles for the longlist for these prestigious awards, now in their sixth year. Since 2015, the shortlist announcements are being made in October (for books published during that calendar year) and winner announcements in January at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The celebratory event continues to be held at ALA Annual Conference each June.

The 2017 committee includes the following experts who work closely with adult readers.

CHICAGO— Sarah J. Hammill, business and online learning librarian at Florida International University, was selected as the 2016 winner of the RSS Service Achievement Award. The award recognizes a member that has made exceptional contributions to RUSA’s Reference Services Section.