From Library Journal:

LJ Librarian of the Year 2025: Nomination Period is OPEN

The LJ editors are seeking nominations for the 36th annual Library Journal/Librarian of the Year Award to honor a professional librarian for outstanding achievement and accomplishments reflecting the loftiest service goals of the library profession. Nominations for Librarian of the Year are welcomed from the entire profession, as well as from trustees, administrators, officials, colleagues, and library users.

Click here for more information.

On September 10, 2024, the National Book Foundation announced the long lists for National Book Awards.

Of particular interest to Golden Libraries is the Long List for Young People’s Literature. The selection of books for this category started at 333 titles and this list cuts it down to ten. On October 1, the short list will include five titles.

Olivia A. Cole, Ariel Crashes a Train
Labyrinth Road / Penguin Random House

Violet Duncan, Buffalo Dreamer
Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin Random House

Margarita Engle, Wild Dreamers
Atheneum Books for Young Readers / Simon & Schuster

Josh Galarza, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
Henry Holt and Company (BYR) / Macmillan Publishers

Erin Entrada Kelly, The First State of Being
Greenwillow Books / HarperCollins Publishers

Randy Ribay, Everything We Never Had
Kokila / Penguin Random House

Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Kareem Between
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House

Angela Shanté, The Unboxing of a Black Girl
Page Street Publishing

Ali Terese, Free Period
Scholastic Press / Scholastic Inc.

Alicia D. Williams, Mid-Air
Atheneum / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books / Simon & Schuster

The book titles above all link out to Amazon. Below it is possible to purchase these book titles from Bookshop.org.

From an official CSLA email:

Nominations and applications for the California School Library Association(CSLA) awards and grants are now open. The awards will be presented at the Annual Conference Membership Meeting on Sunday, February 2, 2025 in San Jose at the Signia by Hilton Hotel. CSLA members are encouraged to nominate themselves or a colleague to be recognized for their outstanding talent and dedication to the library profession. 

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review all award and grant criteria on the CSLA website before applying. Only complete applications will be viewed by the award selection committees. Letters of recommendation and other verification documents must be submitted in the final section of the application in PDF. 

Questions about the application process should be directed to assist@csla.net.

Applications Open

CSLA Awards & Grants

CSLA awards and grants recognize excellence and showcase best practices in the school library field in categories that include collaboration, leadership, and innovation.

Administrative Leadership Award

The nomination does require input from the nominee. The nominator is responsible for completing the application and providing the supporting documentation.

The Administrative Leadership Award honors administrators with direct responsibility for a school or group of schools who have made influential, unique, and sustained contributions to effective school library programs. The recipient will receive free registration for the 2025 CSLA Annual Conference.

Application Deadline: October 25, 2024

Advocate for School Libraries Award

The nomination does require input from the nominee.  The nominator is responsible for completing the application and providing the supporting documentation.

The Advocate for School Libraries Award honors a person or group (not currently employed in the school library) who has advocated for school libraries within the past year.

Application Deadline: October 25, 2024

Honorary Membership Award

The nomination does require input from the nominee. The nominator is responsible for completing the application and providing the supporting documentation. 

The Honorary Membership Award recognizes retired CSLA members who have made outstanding contributions to school library programs and the association over a sustained period of time. Honorary Member recipients are members who have tirelessly shared time, effort, and skills to improve the association and library services. These recipients receive complimentary lifetime membership to CSLA. Recipients also receive free registration for the 2025 CSLA Annual Conference.

• Requires three letters of recommendation from professional colleagues describing the nominee’s activities which reflect the qualifications necessary to be nominated for this award.

Application Deadline: October 25, 2024

I Love My Classified Library Staff Award

The I Love My Classified Library Staff Award recognizes a person who has made a positive impact for at least three years in a school library in a classified position. 

• Requires one letter of recommendation from school staff, administrators, or school district recognized organizations

Deadline: October 25, 2024

Presidents’ Award 

If you know someone who exemplifies the Presidents’ Award, please complete the form below. The person you nominate will be contacted by September 30th and encouraged to complete the formal application. 

The Presidents’ Award honors a credentialed teacher librarian who, through the library program, directly affects students and teachers.  

• Requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation that describe activities that reflect the roles of collaborative teacher, information specialist, instructional partner, and program administrator.  Accepted letters of recommendations may be written by current site principal or administrators, classroom teacher(s), or student(s).

Nomination Deadline: September 30, 2024

Application Deadline: October 25, 2024

Technology Award 

If you know someone who exemplifies the Technology Award, please complete the form below.  The person you nominate will be contacted by September 30th and encouraged to complete the formal application. 

The Technology Award honors a teacher librarian who uses technology as a tool for learning and collaborates to promote the integration of technology in the curriculum. 

• Requires three letters of recommendation from a current administrator with whom the nominee works, a teacher, and from another person who has knowledge of the nominee’s expertise in technology.
• Up to two additional letters (for a total of five) may be submitted from administrators, teachers, parents, or students.

Nomination Deadline: September 30, 2024

Application Deadline: October 25, 2024

Earlene Billing First-Time Grant 

The Earlene Billing First-Timer Grant awards $350 for a credentialed or classified member  to attend the CSLA Conference for the first time. This award is generously sponsored by the California School Library Foundation. 

Deadline: October 25, 2024

CSLA Scholarship Applications

CSLA scholarships recognize the need for teacher librarians and classified staff who reflect the diversity of California’s multicultural population.

Leadership for Diversity Teacher Librarian Scholarship 

The Leadership for Diversity Teacher Librarian Scholarship will be awarded to a teacher librarian who is from a traditionally underrepresented group and enrolled in an accredited teacher librarian credential program.

• Requires two letters of recommendation from a current supervisor, course instructor, classroom teacher, or principal
• College transcript or other enrollment verification must be submitted

Deadline: October 25, 2024

The Leadership for Diversity Classified Scholarship will be awarded to a classified person who is from a traditionally underrepresented group and enrolled in a community college program for school library technical service certification. 

• Requires two letters of recommendation from a current supervisor, course instructor, classroom teacher, or principal
• College transcript or other enrollment verification must be submitted

Deadline: October 25, 2024

Questions about the application process should be directed to assist@csla.net.

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