YALSA’s 2016 Great Books Giveaway Provides More Than $40,000 in Materials to Libraries in Washington, California and Florida
CHICAGO, IL — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), named Franklin Pierce School District in Tacoma, Washington; Ontario (California) High School; and Washington County Public Library in Chipley, Florida as the recipients of its annual Great Books Giveaway.
Each library will receive a share of more than $40,000 in books, audiobooks and other materials donated to YALSA from publishers and producers in 2015.
Franklin Pierce School District is located in Tacoma, Washington. It serves over 3,800 secondary students in two public middle schools and two public high schools. The student body comprises a diverse tapestry of ethnicities, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Franklin Pierce School District’s mission is to prepare students for post-secondary success and provide opportunities for students to learn the necessary skills needed in the 21st century.
“It is with great enthusiasm and gratitude that Franklin Pierce Secondary Schools accepts the YALSA Great Books Giveaway Award for 2016,” said Secondary Librarian Erica Walter. “This award will allow secondary libraries in the district to provide current, relevant materials to our students and staff. It is my hope the books and educational materials we receive will further support our district’s vision and take our students’ learning experiences to the next level.”
Ontario High School serves 2,161 students in Ontario, California. It is a Title 1 school that encourages parental and community involvement and seeks to ensure students are ready for college and careers. Many of the students who enter have never been to a library before and are often recent immigrants where the library is often their only access to books and computers.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to receive this grant,” said Librarian Delia Swanner. “I know that students and faculty will enjoy these books, and I look forward to sharing them. Thank you!”
The Washington County Public Library is situated in Chipley, Florida, an agricultural, rural community. The County is plagued by teenagers from impoverished households who live in literary isolation. They reside in geographic areas with limited Internet access and sparse educational outlets. Therefore, it remains the library’s major objective to offer young adults educational resources beyond their home environments.
“Words cannot describe the feeling after receiving the news that Washington County Public Library is one of the recipients of the Great Books Giveaway. Our small county has no bookstore or movie theater for our teens so our library fulfills many roles with the limited resources that we do have,” said Library Director, Renae Rountree. “To be able to offer more when we have made do with so little for so long is truly a blessing!”
The application form and information for next year’s Great Books Giveaway are available in the Grants and Awards for Members section of the YALSA website, www.ala.org/yalsa. Applications must be received in the YALSA office by Dec. 1, 2016.
The YALSA Great Books Giveaway Jury members are: Chair Kate Denier, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Cincinnati, OH; Edith Campbell, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN; Kim Christofferson, Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT; Carol Maples, Central High School, Pollok, TX; Sara Ray, Simsbury Public Library, Simsbury, CT.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and library staff to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.
