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BREAKING NEWS: NoveList’s NextReads recognized with RUSA’s Louis Shores Award for excellence in book reviewing

SEATTLE–The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has selected the team behind Next Reads, an e-newsletter tool for libraries from EBSCO’s NoveList, as the recipients of the 2013 Louis Shores Award for book reviewing.

For the past seven years, the NextReads team has produced over 1,800 individual newsletter issues reviews that have helped to shape the professional readers’ advisory community and communities of readers across the country. By offering readers a thoughtful mix of reviews of new and selected older materials, the NextReads team supports libraries as they build a community of readers. NextReads, as noted by the letters of support to the nomination, serves as an important readers’ advisory tool for both staff and library users, as a source for substantive reviews, as a tool to improve library circulation of older as well as newer titles, and as “an important review source for … materials selection staff.” The librarians on the NextReads time have a strong sense of how to write reviews that capture the appeal factors that draw a reader into a book, and their ability to communicate appeal to both librarians and to readers makes NextReads a valuable review source in the library community.

NextReads will be officially presented with their award at the RUSA Achievement Awards Ceremony at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

The Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Not a member, but interested in being part of a member community and enjoying discounted registration rates on conference, preconferences and other events? Join, renew or add RUSA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.

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Deadline extended to Dec. 20 for Reference Services Section’s RSS Achievement Award

Do you know someone that has done remarkable work for the Reference Services Section? Nominate him or her for the 2013 Reference Services Section (RSS) Achievement Award!

This award, which will be presented at the annual RSS Open House and the RUSA Awards Ceremony at the ALA Annual Conference, honors an RSS member’s significant contributions to the section. The recipient will be chosen based on either sustained contributions towards attaining the goals of RSS or a single unique contribution that has resulted in a positive impact upon the work of the section.

Please send your nomination detailing specifically how the nominee has met either of these criteria to Virginia Cole (vac11@cornell.edu), the award committee chair, by December 20.

Learn more about RUSA’s Reference Services Section.

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Intrepid public business librarians wanted for Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award

Are you a public librarian in need of funds to attend ALA’s Annual Conference? You’ve come to the right place!

The Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award, sponsored by Morningstar, offers $1,000 in travel funds to a public librarian who has performed outstanding business reference service and who requires financial assistance to attend the conference. Submit your nomination by December 15!

The winner must be a member of ALA, RUSA and BRASS. The recipient shall have a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career as a business reference librarian and the potential to be a leader in the profession. In addition, he or she will be expected to participate in BRASS activities at the conference for which the award has been made and to write a short statement regarding his or her experience at the conference for publication following the event.

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following: involvement in special projects; creation of a business web site; outstanding service to the community; publications; or related activities.

To nominate a deserving librarian, download and complete a nomination form, following the submission instructions therein. Questions  should be directed to the committee chair, Melissa Jeter at melissacjeter@gmail.com.

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Zora Neale Hurston Award: RUSA seeks librarians demonstrating leadership in promoting African American literature

Do you know someone(s) who should be recognized for their work in promoting African American literature? Could it be you? We encourage you to submit a nomination for the 2013 Zora Neale Hurston Award. The deadline for all nominations is Dec. 15, 2012.

The Zora Neale Hurston Award recognizes any ALA member who has demonstrated leadership in promoting African American literature. The winner receives funds to attend the ALA Annual Conference, tickets to the FOLUSA Author tea, and a set of the Zora Neale Hurston books published by Harper Perennial at the time the award is made.

Recent past winners include:
2012  Vanessa Irvin Morris, Assistant Teaching Professor, Drexel University

2011  Theresa Venable, Librarian for Children’s Defense Fund Haley Farm’s Langston Hughes Library
Venable was chosen for her work in library programming designed to promote African American authors and African American illustrators of children’s picture books.  Examples of Venable’s programming include directing the 2009 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture sponsored by the Association of Library Service to Children and coordinating the 2010 Big Read Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

2010  Anthony Loum, Coordinator of Adult Library Services, Brooklyn Public Library
For his work planning and ensuring the quality of programs delivered by the Brooklyn Public Library in the 2009 Big Read for which Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” was the chosen book.

2009  Miriam Rodriguez, Assistant Director, Public Services, Community Integration of the Dallas Public Library

Don’t delay! You can download the nomination form (PDF) here.

Questions? Contact Jannie R. Cobb, Zora Neale Hurston Award Committee Chair at jcobb@nlc.edu.