Carolyn W. Field Award

The Carolyn W. Field Award was established in 1983 by the Youth Services Division of the Pennsylvania Library Association. A Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania, Carolyn Wicker Field retired in 1983 from the Free Library of Philadelphia where she served as Coordinator of Work with Children for 30 years. Each year the Youth Services Division presents this award, which recognizes the best books for young people by a Pennsylvania author or illustrator.
The Carolyn Field committee solicits books from publishers, the committee reviews the books, and then makes a final selection of 5. Over the years there has been a wide variety of books selected, from picture books to young teen, fiction to non-fiction. A good book is a good book! The chosen selections are sent out to Youth Services Division members who then vote for their choice.

The 2009 winner was:Susan Campbell Bartoletti, for The Boy Who Dared .

In October, 1942, seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hubener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls his past life and how he came to dedicate himself to bring the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people.

The 2010 committee is currently working to select 5 books for nomination for the award. The committee will be announcing the nominated titles in February.

Bianca Roberts, Chair Carolyn Fields Award Committee
Becky Sheridan
Patte Kelley
Anita Ditz
Barbara McNutt

I thank this year's committee and we are looking for volunteers for the 2011 committee. Only requirement is that you like to read! Any takers? Let me know.

Laureen

New Year , New Challenges!

My name Laureen Maloney and want to introduce myself and two other members of the YS division, Mary Glendening , vice-chair, from Narbeth Community Library and Patte Kelley, secretary/treasurer from Carnegie Library. As the new board members, we have an awesome responsibility. This initial communication is the hardest to make. After this it will be easier. As I tell my staff, "baby steps". One of the reasons I haven't sent anything out until now is that I am going through "the binder". I need to understand how the division functions and it's role and responsibilities in PalA. I'm beginning to understand!

I recognize we are are all feeling overwhelmed at our libraries with staff and budget reductions, but I hope we can over come the challenges to do our best and continue providing quality services to our patrons. Together we can achieve great things and I ask your help in keeping the Youth Services Division a vital part of PaLA.

Stay tuned ... there's more to come!

Thank you

Laureen

Laureen M. Maloney
Head of Children's Services
Lackawanna County Children's Library
520 Vine Street
Scranton, PA. 18509
570-348-3000 ext. 3027
www.albright.org/childrens
lmaloney@albright.org