91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Committee are proud to announce the opening of the application to host the 2015 event featuring well-known children’s book creator Brian Selznick.

The Arbuthnot Lecture is an annual event, announced at the 91´«Ã½’s Midwinter Meeting, in which an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature presents a paper that makes a significant contribution to the field. A library school, department of education in a college or university or a children’s library system may be considered. The lecture is administered by ALSC.

Host site application forms can be downloaded at . Applications are due May 16, 2014. Information about host site responsibilities is included in the application materials. The lecture traditionally is held in April or early May.

In January, Brian Selznick was chosen by the Arbuthnot Lecture Committee to speak in 2015. “We are honored to recognize distinguished author and illustrator Brian Selznick. His ground-breaking work has won several children’s literature awards, most notably for “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” which created a new genre in children’s literature,” stated 2015 Arbuthnot Committee Chair Sue McCleaf Nespeca.

Brian Selznick is a New York Times best-selling illustrator of more than 20 books for children. Selznick attended and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. After college, Selznick worked at Eeyore's children's bookstore in New York City where he was introduced to the world of children’s literature. He wrote and illustrated his first book, “The Houdini Box,” while working there. He left to pursue a full-time career in children's book illustration but still designs theater sets and is a professional puppeteer.

Selznick’s work includes such award winning titles as “Walt Whitman: Words for America,” written by Barbara Kerley, published by Scholastic, a Sibert Award Honor Book; “When Marian Sang,” written by Pam Muñoz Ryan, published by Scholastic, a Sibert Award Honor Book; and “The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins,” written by Barbara Kerley, published by Scholastic, a Caldecott Award Honor Book.

ALSC established this lecture series in 1969, with sponsorship from Scott, Foresman and Company (now Pearson Scott Foresman) in honor of author May Hill Arbuthnot. The lectureship, now funded by the ALSC May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Endowment, has the distinction of featuring many notable authors, critics, librarians, historians, and teachers of children’s literature from various countries. Past lecturers over the decades have included Mary Ørvig, Leland B. Jacobs, Virginia Hamilton, Maurice Sendak, and Richard Jackson. Andrea Davis Pinkney will deliver the 2014 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture on May 3, 2014 at the University of Minnesota Children's Literature Research Collections in Minneapolis, Minn.

ALSC, a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit ALSC’s Web site at .