Carnegie finalist named MacArthur genius fellow

Karen Russell
Karen Russell

Fiction writer, Karen Russell was named as one of 24 MacArthur “genius” fellows yesterday. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards this annual grant to “encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations.”

Russell was a finalist for the 2012 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction for her first novel, Swamplandia!. You can view her humble, enchanting acceptance speech here:

Karen Russell video

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction were established in 2012 to recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year. The shortlisted authors and eventual winners reflect the expert judgment and insight of the seven-member selection committee of library professionals who work closely with adult readers. These are the ALA’s first single-book awards for adult trade fiction and nonfiction.

A shortlist of finalists is drawn from the previous year’s Booklist Editors’ Choice and the Reference and User Services Association‘s (RUSA) Collection Development and Evaluation Section‘s (CODES) Notable Books lists.

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. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.

Join us for an online discussion: Navigating the RA High-Wire Act: Practicing RA When You Don’t Read Widely

We’ve scheduled another CODES Conversations event! Come participate or listen in on this vigorous online discussion.

Navigating the RA High-Wire Act: Practicing RA When You Don’t Read Widely
Happening online, April 24-25, 2013
Hosted by the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of RUSA

With untold numbers of books out there, sometimes it seems almost impossible for readers’ advisors to keep up with all the genres and publishing trends. This raises all sorts of interesting questions for consideration: How can a “poorly-read” librarian do readers’ advisory? How do you cope with unknown titles? How much do you read, and how widely?

Join readers’ advisors across the country for a two-day CODES Conversation on the best ways to find read-alikes and do readers’ advisory–even when you feel that you have not read enough–and help address the biggest myth in RA: that librarians have to read everything they suggest.

CODES Conversations are focused electronic conversations on current issues facing collection development and readers’ advisory librarians—or anyone interested in those areas.  The conversations are open to all who wish to participate (or lurk)!

This free, moderated discussion is open to all—just subscribe to the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/sympa/subscribe/codes-convos, then follow and contribute to the conversation over the two days of the discussion.

CODES Conversations: Genre: Friend or Foe? Join the online discussion December 4-6

Join RUSA CODES Readers Advisory Research and Trends Committee for a three-day CODES Conversation on the subject of genre: what it means and how we use, or don’t use, the genre designation, what genre means to you, etc.  This free, moderated, focused e-mail discussion takes place December 4-6, 2012.  It’s open to all — just subscribe to the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/sympa/subscribe/codes-convos, then follow and contribute to the conversation via e-mail over the three days of the discussion.

Please join us!

CODES Conversations are focused electronic conversations on current issues facing collection development and readers’ advisory librarians—or anyone interested in those areas.  The conversations are open to all who wish to participate (or lurk)!  

 

 

Nominate an outstanding book reviewer for RUSA’s Louis Shores Award

Know someone(s) who should be recognized for their work in book reviewing?

RUSA is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Louis Shores Award. The deadline for all nominations is Dec. 15, 2012.

The Louis Shores Award recognizes an individual reviewer, group, editor, review medium or organization for excellence in reviewing books and other media for libraries. The winner receives a citation.

Recent past winners include:

  • Sarah L. Johnson, professor of library services at Eastern Illinois University and author of the blog Reading the Past.
  • Bill Ott, editor and publisher of Booklist magazine, was selected for his outstanding contributions to the field of reviewing.
  • Heather McCormack, managing editor of Library Journal’s Book Review section and creator and editor of Book Smack!
  • Blogging for a Good Book, Williamsburg Regional Library

For a nomination form and submission instructions go to http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/shores

Questions?
Contact Barry Trott, Louis Shores Award Committee Chair, btrott – at – wrl.org.